UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


I 
Of  Connect^ 

Its  lasiirfefetions 

IMPRISONMENT    Of      THE 


South  View  of  Newgate  Prison. 


ALSO      A     DESCRIPTION     OF    THE 


AT  AVF,  VHKKSFJELJJ, 

By  RICHARD  II.  PIIELPS,  East  Granby,  Ct. 

^ 


HARTFORD. 

PRESS  OF  ELIHU  GEER, 
,844. 


NEWGATE 

OF    CONNECTICUT: 


A    HISTORY    OF    THE    PRISON, 

ITS 

INSURRECTIONS,  MASSACRES,  &C. 

IMPRISONMENT  OF  THE 


In  the  Revolution, 
THE  ANCIENT  AND  RECENT  WORKING  OF 


TO  WHICH  IS  APPENDED  A  DESCRIPTION   OF  THE 


AT    WET1IERSFIEL,])* 


BY   RICHARD    H.    PHELPS,   EAST  GRASBT,  CONX. 


THIRD     EDITION. 


HARTFORD. 

PRESS  OF  ELIHU  GEER,  <&%  STATE  STREET. 
1844. 


The  favor  with  which  the  preceding  numbers  of  this 
work  has  been  received  by  the  public,  and  the  readi- 
ness of  sale,  has  called  for  the  present  edition.  Matter 
of  interest  has  since  been  collected  of  several  pages, 
and  a  good  engraving  of  Newgate  has  been  procured, 
conveying  a  correct  view  of  the  prison,  and  the  work  in 
its  improved  appearance  is  now  presented  to  the  public 
with  confidence,  by 

THE  AUTHOR. 


-*• 
Copy -right   Secured* 


F/04 


NEWGATE   PRISON. 

THE  main  design  of  the  following  has  been  to  collect  and  em- 
body facts  relating  to  Newgate,  the  former  prison  of  the  State  of 
Connecticut.  There  are  many  circumstances  respecting  the  Mines, 
and  also  while  it  was  kept  as  a  prison,  which  are  interesting,  to 
those  at  least,  who  like  the  writer,  reside  in  its  vicinity,  and  who 
have  noticed  many  of  its  scenes  ;  and  judging  from  the  numbers 
who  travel  far  to  explore  its  caverns  and  the  works  which  now 
cover  its  grounds,  it  will  continue  long  to  be  an  object  of  interest 
and  examination — time  will  wear  slowly  upon  its  strength,  and  age 
will  but  add  to  its  interest.  Many  inquiries  are  also  made  about 
it  of  those  living  near  it  when  they  travel  abroad,  and  when  it  is 
known  that  they  are  familiar  with  its  history.  When  Dr.  Frank- 
lin resided  in  Philadelphia,  having  occasion  to  travel  to  Boston,  and 
knowing  the  gift  of  many  of  the  Yankees  in  asking  questions,  in 
order  to  satisfy  their  importunity  and  save  time  in  his  answers,  he 
adopted  the  expedient  of  printing  a  number  of  cards,  stating  that 
he  resided  in  Philadelphia,  was  a  printer  by  trade,  and  on  his  way 
to  Boston;  these  he  gave  to  his  questioners  whenever  they  corn- 
commenced  their  attacks  upon  him.  This  account,  if  it  serves  no 
general  use,  may  at  least,  serve  to  answer  many  important  ques- 
tions. 

It  is  useful  to  record  events  in  their  day  before  they  are  forgot- 
ten, or  are  handed  down  as  tales  and  traditions.  If  a  record  of 
the  eventi  connected  with  some  of  the  monuments,  castles  and 
fortresses  in  Europe,  or  ruins  in  Central  America,  could  now  be 
obtained,  it  would  be  of  vast  interest  to  antiquarians,  and  would 
greatly  assist  historians  to  substantiate  valuable  history. 

When  the  aged  in  this  vicinity  are  gone,  and  that  soon  must  be, 
this  prison  fortress  will  doubtless  remain;  the  traveller  then  will 
ask  —  Who  built  these  towers  1  Why  these  huge  grates,  these 
trenches  and  these  walls  ?  How  came  these  spacious  caverns  to 
be  dug  out  of  solid  rocks,  and  why  those  rings  and  those  fetters 
fastened  to  their  massive  sides  ?  Surely  the  echo  of  these  caverns 
cannot  answer,  nor  the  people  who  lived  cotemporaneous  with 
their  use.  Therefore,  sufficient  is  said  as  an  apology  for  these 
hasty  sketches.  The  materials  for  the  work  have  been  gathered 
from  a  variety  of  sources.  A  part  is  statistical,  from  the  ancient  colo- 
nial records  —  and  some  is  taken  from  the  verbal  statements  kindly 

4G522O 


furnished  by  the  aged  now  living ;  much  also  has  been  related  to 
the  author  by  the  aged  who  have  been  for  years  deceased,  and 
who  knew  personally  of  the  circumstances  and  events  which  are 
herein  recorded,  and  all  may  be  relied  upon  as  being  generally 
correct. 

NEWGATE  is  the  name  by  which  the  prison  was  called  in  the  days 
of  the  Revolution,  and  was  so  called  after  Newgate  prison  in  Eng- 
land. Our  forefathers,  in  giving  names  to  many  of  their  towns 
and  cities,  also  copied  from  those  of  their  ancestral  home,  doubt- 
less wishing  to  make  their  adopted  country  wear  the  familiar  as- 
pect of  their  native  land ;  and  in  christening  this  prison  after  a  re- 
ceptacle of  rogues  in  London,  they  intended  to  give  to  it  a  prison- 
like  appearance,  and  to  comprehend  all  of  hideous  name,  gloomy, 
and  terrible  ! 

The  prison  situated  near  the  centre  of  Granby,  occupies  an 
eminence  at  the  base,  and  on  the  western  side  of  the  Green- 
stone mountain,  which  here  rises  to  an  elevation  higher  than 
at  any  other  place  in  the  State,  giving  to  the  scenery  around,  an 
impression  of  grandeur  and  sublimity,  seldom  surpassed.  The 
site  of  the  prison  was  formerly  included  within  the  limits  of  the 
town  of  Simsbury,  and  so  remained  until  1786,  when  a  part  of  the 
town  including  the  limits  of  the  prison,  was  set  off  and  incorpora- 
ted under  the  name  of  Granby;  hence  the  place  was  at  that  time 
known  by  the  name  of  Simsbury  Copper  Mines,  on  Copper  HilL 
The  title  to  the  mines  was  for  a  longtime  disputed  in  law  between 
individuals,  when  so  early  as  1753,  the  General  Court  of  the  Colo- 
ny appointed  a  Committee  to  investigate  the  subject ;  who  gave  a 
decision  which  was  afterwards  confirmed.  The  first  working  of 
these  mines  bears  a  far  earlier  date,  as  appears  by  the  following : 

["  Anno  Regni  Annae  Reginae,  V  Septimo  A.  D.  1709".] — "  An  act 

relating  to  the  Copper  Mines  at  Simsbury.''1 

"  Whereas,  there  hath  lately  been  discovered  a  copper  mine  at 
Simsbury  which  hath  been  so  improved  as  to  give  good  satisfaction 
to  conclude  that  a  public  benefit  may  arise  therefrom  :  Now,  for 
the  better  encouraging,  directing  and  enabling  the  proprietors  and 
undertakers,  or  others  that  are  or  may  be  concerned  therein,  their 
heirs  and  assigns,  to  manage,  carry  on,  and  improve  said  mines  to 
the  best  advantage,"  &c. 

In  1714,  the  records  show  that  the  use  of  the  mines  were  pur- 
chased by  Jonathan  Belcher  of  Boston,  (afterwards  Governor,) 
Timothy  Woodbridge,  Jr.  and  Wm.  Partridge,  and  in  1721  they 
had  miners  from  Germany  employed,  and  were  expending  seventy 
pounds  per  month  in  the  work.  They  were  particular  in  their 
lease  to  have  it  expressly  stated,  that  one  fifth  of  all  metals,  &c. 


which  might  be  procured  should  go  to  the  crown  —  thus  acknowl- 
edging themselves  most  loyal  and  devoted  subjects  of  taxation  and 
revenue  to  his  Majesty.  The  laws  of  the  colony  permitting  slav- 
ery, they  employed  slaves  to  a  considerable  extent  in  working  the 
mines,  —  owing  to  the  want  of  capital  or  of  enterprize  they  did 
not  take  sufficient  pains  in,  digging  drains  or  levels  to  let  off  the 
water  which  entered  through  the  crevices  of  rock,  and  they  resor- 
ted to  the  expedient  of  pumping  it  out.  Laborers  in  the  vicinity 
were  employed  for  the  purpose,  and  some  of  the  farmers  in  the 
town  of  Windsor  actually  were  accustomed  to  ride  to  the  mines, 
and  work  at  that  business  in  the  night,  and  return  to  their  farms 
in  the  morning,  and  their  wages  were  paid  in  gold,  silver  and  cop- 
per coin.  The  present  extent  of  the  excavations  prove  that  the 
business  was  prosecuted  with  some  effect,  and  that  immense  quan- 
tities of  ore  have  been  taken  —  several  stamping  mills  carried  bv 
water  were  built  in  neighboring  places,  and  actively  employed  in 
pulverizing  the  ore  —  furnaces  were  also  constructed  for  smelting 
it,  and  a  coin,  known  by  the  name  of  "  Higley's  coppers,"  made 
from  the  ore,  used  to  pass  quite  current  for  change. 

The  rage  in  the  Colony  upon  the  business  of  mining  about  that 
period  was  very  brisk,  as  it  would  seem  from  the  following  peti- 
tion copied  from  the  records: 

"  To  the  HonncU,  The  Gov'c  Councill  and  Representatives  in  Gener- 
al Court  assembled  in  Ncio  Haven,  Oct.  16th,  A.  D.  1733 : 
"The  Prayer  of  Joseph  Whiting  of  New  Haven  Humbly 
Shevveth,  That  your  Suppliant  hat  Expended  a  Considerable  time 
and  money  in  Searching  after  Mines,  and  has  made  farther  Discov- 
eries perhaps  than  any  other  man  in  this  Colony  has  before  done, 
and  having  met  with  such  incourgement  as  that  I  am  willing  to  be 
at  farther  Expense  in  the  Same  Search  — but  ready  money  being 
so  absolutely  necessary  therein  ;  I  therefore  Humbly  pray  this  as- 
sembly will  be  pleased  to  lease  me  one  thousand  pounds  of  the 
money  Granted  last  may  to  be  struck,  and  now  to  be  disposed  of 
by  this  assembly  —  upon  double  security  in  Lands  and  Bonds,  for 
the  payment  of  the  interest  every  year;  the  principall  to  be  Re- 
turned at  the  Expiration  of  ten  years,"  &c. 

JOSEPH  WHITING." 

A  great  deal  of  labor  and  capital  without  doubt  was  expended, 
as  the  aforesaid  petitioner  says,  "  in  searching  after  mines,'1''  and  the 
evidence  may  be  seen  in  the  numerous  pits  and  shafts  which  have 
been  dug  in  the  whole  range  of  this  mountain  to  New  Haven. 

At  that  day,  as  in  all  previous  time  since  the  world  began,  and 
as  is  seen  at  the  present  day,  their  chief  aim  appeared  to  be  to 
make  their  fortunes  by  head-work  — by  speculation,  and  choosing. 


rather  to  spend  their  time  and  risk  their  fortunes  in  mining  and 
other  uncertain  projects,  rather  than  to  dig  upon  the  surface  of 
good  old  mother  earth,  for  a  sure  and  honest  living. 

The  news  of  mineral  wealth  had  the  effect  which  it  generally 
does  upon  British  cupidity,  and  in  1760  a  company  was  formed  in 
England  for  the  purpose  of  prosecuting  the  business  of  mining. 
They  dug  wells  in  several  places,  one  ot  which  is  eighty  feet  deep, 
and  sunk  a  shaft  through  solid  rock  to  the  depth  of  between  thirty  and 
forty  feet.  Through  this  shaft  they  lifted  many  hundred  tons  of  rock 
and  ore,  a  large  quantity  of  which  was  deposited  about  one  mile 
east  of  the  mountain  in  Turkey  Hills,  at  a  place  now  marked  by 
an  entire  dearth  of  vegetation,  owing  to  the  poisonous  qualities 
extracted  from  the  ore.  From  thence  it  was  taken  to  Hartford  by 
teams,  where  it  was  shipped  to  New  York,  and  two  vessels  were 
freighted  with  it,  and  sent  to  England.  These  vessels  were  both 
lost ;  one  was  captured  as  a  prize  by  the  French,  being  at  that 
time  at  war  with  England  — the  other  was  unfortunately  sunk  in 
the  English  Channel.  These  disasters,  together  with  the  great  la- 
bor expended  in  digging,  and  the  laws  of  England  prohibiting  the 
smelting  of  it  in  this  country,  disheartened  the  company,  and  the 
further  prosecution  of  the  work  was  abandoned. 

These  caverns  were  first  occupied  as  a  place  for  the  confine- 
ment of  Tories  about  the  beginning  of  the  American  Revolution. 
What  an  astonishing  train  of  events  followed  and  how  distant  from 
the  minds  of  the  British  company  of  miners,  the  idea  that  they 
were  actually  hewing  out  prison  cells  for  the  lodgment  of  their 
friends,  the  Tories  of  the  United  States  ! 

At  first  the  number  confined  in  these  caverns  did  not  exceed  five 
or  six,  but  as  time  developed  events,  the  numbers  increased. 
When  the  tea  was  thrown  into  the  sea  at  Boston  in  1773,  and  that 
port  closed  by  an  act  of  Parliament,  so  great  was  the  excitement 
and  so  indignant  were  the  people,  particularly  of  Massachusetts 
and  Connecticut,  on  account  of  British  oppression,  that  the  use  of 
tea  and  all  commodities  imported  in  British  vessels  and  subject 
to  duty,  were  prohibited.  Most  of  the  Tories  confined  there  were 
guilty  of  some  crime,  although  several  persons  it  is  said  were  con- 
fined in  the  dungeons  for  the  crime  of  having  a  small  quantity  of 
tea  and  other  articles  of  British  import  in  their  possession  ;  true 
the  contrast  in  the  times  may  appear  rather  curious,  for  at  this  day 
a  housekeeper  would  be  judged  by  common  consent,  deserving  the 
same  puishment  for  being  suspected  of  not  keeping  them  on  hand. 
Our  ancestors  knew  no  half-way  policy,  and  seldom  adopted  dila- 
tory measures  to  carry  their  points  —  tea  vessels  if  then  kept  at  all 
were  kept  out  of  sight  —  teapots  were  run  into  musket  balls,  and 
they  were  the  kind  of  currency  with  which  the  people  dealt  with 
old  England. 


Public  opinion  in  some  of  the  colonies  against  those  who  favored 
the  mother  country  was  very  rigid,  authorizing  any  person  even 
to  shoot  them  if  they  were  found  beyond  the  limits  of  their  own 
premises;  persons  now  living  well  remember  a  tory  who  was  shot 
in  the  town  of  Simsbury.  Those  who  possessed  not  the  hardihord 
thus  summarily  to  dispatch  a  neighbor  or  relative  for  not  choosing  to 
fight  for  the  country,  or  for  purchasing  of  the  British,  adopted  the 
more  humane  expedient  of  penning  them  up  in  the  caverns,  where 
they  could  at  least  leisurely  examine  the  evidence  of  British  labor, 
although  not  allowed  the  blessed  boon  of  being  governed  by  Brit- 
ish laws.  We  cannot  for  a  moment  doubt  the  noble  intentions  of  the 
American  patriots  in  the  severity  of  those  measures,  for  the  results 
are  now  universally  acknowledged  and  are  generally  appreciated. 
If  at  the  commencement  of  their  struggle  for  liberty,  they  had  per- 
mitted those  emissaries  to  raise  a  question  as  to  the  right  of  inde- 
pendent government,  and  had  suffered  them  to  prowl  about  unmo- 
lested, and  to  spread  the  fuel  of  disaffection,  a  civil,  instead  of  a 
national  war,  must  have  followed.  The  proud  eagle  of  Liberty 
would  not  so  soon  have  risen  over  this  land  of  plenty,  and  the 
reveille  of  English  soldiery  would  have  told  misfortune's  tale,  of  a 
government  offeree. 

Most  of  those  confined  were  persons  of  character,  property  and 
great  influence,  they  being  the  ones  to  do  harm  rather  than  those 
who  were  mere  weathercocks  in  principle,  and  vascillating  in  prac- 
tice. Their  first  keeper  was  Capt.  John  Viets,  who  resided  near 
by,  and  who  supplied  them  daily  with  food  and  necessaries  which 
were  required.  At  that  time  there  was  no  guard  kept  through  the 
day,  but  two  or  three  sentinels  kept  watch  during  the  night. 

There  was  an  ante-room  or  passage  through  which  to  pass  be- 
fore reaching  their  cell,  and  the  usual  practice  of  Capt.  Viets  when 
he  carried  their  food,  was  to  look  through  the  grates  into  this  past 
sage  to  observe  whether  they  were  near  the  door,  and  if  not  then 
to  enter,  lock  the  door  after  him,  and  pass  on  to  the  next.  The 
inmates  soon  learned  his  custom  and  accordingly  prepared  them- 
selves for  an  escape.  When  the  Capt.  came  the  next  time,  some  of 
them  had  contrived  to  unbar  their  cell  door,  and  huddled  themselves 
in  a  corner  behind  the  door  in  the  passage,  where  they  could  not 
easily  be  seen,  and  upon  his  opening  it  they  sprang  upon  him, 
threw  him  down,  pulled  him  in  and  taking  the  key  from  his  pos- 
session, they  locked  him  up  and  made  good  their  escape.  What 
were  the  Captain's  reflections  on  his  sudden  transition  from  keep- 
er to  that  of  prisoner,  is  not  stated,  but  he  probably  thought  with 
FallstaiT,  that  "discretion  would  have  been  the  better  part  of  val- 
or," and  he  must  adopt,  in  future,  more  cautious  measures;  his  ab- 
sence was  soon  discovered  by  his  family,  who  came  to  his  relief 


8 

The  inhabitants  around  rallied  immediately  and  gave  chase  to  the 
absconding  heroes,  and  finally  succeeded  in  capturing  nearly  the 
whole  of  them ;  several  were  taken  in  attempting  to  cross  the 
Tunxis  or  Farmington  river,  at  Scotland  bridge,  a  few  miles  south, 
a  guard  having  been  stationed  at  that  place  to  intercept  them. 
Some  Santa  Anna-like,  took  refuge  upon  trees,  and  there  met 
with  a  more  certain  capture.  A  respected  matron  then  a  child, 
now  states  that  the  news  of  their  escape  and  capture,  spread  as 
much  dread  or  terror  among  the  children  in  the  neighborhood,  as 
if  they  had  been  a  band  of  midnight  assassins. 

The  tories  confined  in  the  dungeon,  often  in  the  course  of  the 
war,  amused  themselves  in  making  poetry  in  derision1  of  the  meas- 
ures which  were  carried  on  by  the  patriots  against  England.  The 
following  are  a  part  of  some  rhymes  (referring  to  the  patriots) 
composed  by  them  and  sent  to  their  keeper. 

"Many  of  them  in  halters  will  swing 
Before  John  Hancock  will  ever  be  king." 

John  Hancock  being  one  of  the  most  ardent  friends  of  the  Revo- 
lution, was  particularly  obnoxious  to  the  British,  and  a  price  was 
set  on  his  head ;  this  raised  the  spirit  of  the  colonies,  and  they  at 
once  made  him  President  of  Congress,  which  drew  apon  him  the 
special  odium  of  the  tories.  During  their  imprisonment  they  fre- 
quently sent  to  the  keeper  for  provisions  and  other  articles.  The 
following  is  from  the  original,  now  in  the  possession  of  the  author. 

"Mr.  Viets, 

If  you  have  any  meet  Cooked,  you  will  much  oblidge  me  by 
sending  me  a  dinner,  for  I  suffer  for  want. 

Prison.  PETER  SACKETT." 

This  man  was  one  of  the  thirty  who  afterwards  were  engaged  in 
a  bloody  contest  with  the  guard,  and  he  made  his  escape  at  that 
time. 

In  Oct.  1773  the  following  Resolution  was  passed  : 
"Resolved  by  this  Assembly,  That  the  Treasurer  of  this  Colony 
pay  out  of  the  public  Treasury  to  Messrs.  Wm.  Pitkin,  Erastus 
Wolcott  and  Jonathan  Humphrey,  the  sum  of  one  Hundred  Elev- 
en Pounds  one  Shilling  and  Sixpence  lawful  money,  which  is  in 
full  of  their  account  exhibited  for  preparing  the  Copper  Mines  at 
Symsbury  for  a  proper  Prison,  &c." 

An  Act  was  also  passed  prescribing  the  terms  of  imprisonment. 
Burglary  and  Robbery  were  punished  for  the  1st  offence  with  im- 
prisonment not  exceeding  10  years,  2d  offence  for  life.  For  coun- 
terfeiting and  passing  counterfeit  money,  the  same  terms  of  sen- 
tence. 


9 

The  keeper  of  the  Prison  was  authorised  to  punish  the  convicts 
for  offences  by  "  moderate  whipping,  not  exceeding  ten  stripes, 
and  by  putting  shackles  and  fetters  upon  them." 

Though  the  prison  was  deemed  impregnable,  yet  by  the  follow- 
ing it  appears  that  it  was  not  entirely  secure. 

To  the  Honourable  the  General  Assembly  now  sitting  at  Hartford : 

We  the  subscribers,  overseers  of  Newgate  Prison,  would  inform 
your  Honors  that  Newgate  Prison  is  so  strong  and  secure  that  we 
believe  it  is  not  posable  for  any  prisoner-  put  thereto  escape,  unless 
by  assistance  from  abroad ;  yet  it  so  happens  that  one  John  Hin- 
son,  lately  sent  there  by  order  of  the  Honourable  the  Superior 
Court,  has  escaped  by  the  help  of  some  evil  minded  person  at  pres- 
ent unknown,  who  in  the  night  season  next  after  the  9th  inst.  drew 
the  prisoner  out  of  the  shaft;  and  we  believe  no  place  ever  was  or 
can  be  made  so  secure  but  that  if  persons  abroad  can  have  free  ac- 
cess to  such  Prison  standing  at  a  distance  from  any  dwelling  house, 
the  prisoners  will  escape;  we  therefore  Recommend  it  to  your 
Honors  that  some  further  security  be  aded  to  that  prison  in  order 
to  secure  the  prisoners :  What  that  security  shall  be,  will  be  left  to 
your  Honors ;  yet  we  would  observe  to  your  Honors  that  the  east 
shaft  where  the  prisoner  escaped  is  about  70  feet  to  the  bottom  of 
the  prison,  the  whole  of  which  is  through  afirm  rock  except  about 
10  feet  at  top  which  is  stoned  up  like  a  well ;  we  therefore  propoes 
that  the  upper  part  down  to  the  rock  be  lock'd  up,  and  stones  about 
15  or  18  inches  square  and  of  a  suitable  length  be  laid  across  said 
shaft  about  eight  inches  assunder,  «fec. — and  as  to  the  west  shaft 
which  is  about  25  feet  deep  and  secured  with  a  strong  iron  gate 
about  six  feet  below  the  surface,  we  propose  that  a  strong  log 
house  be  built  of  two  or  three  rooms  one  of  which  to  stand  over 
this  shaft  to  secure  it  from  persons  abroad,  and  the  other  rooms  to 
be  forthe  Miners  <fcc.  &c. — all  which  is  submitted  by  your  Hon- 
ors' Most  obedient  Humble  Servants. 

{ERASTUS  WOLCOTT, 
JOSIAH    BlSSELL, 
JOII'N  HUMPHREY. 
Hartford  Jan'y  17th,  1774. 


30TT,     \ 
EY.         j 


For  a  while  previous  to  the  year  1776,  the  caverns  were  used  in 
part  for  the  confinement  of  thieves,  burglars  and  other  criminals, 
and  who  were  kept  in  the  same  apartment  with  the  tories. 

Permission  was  given  by  the  authorities  to  employ  them  all  in 
working  the  mines,  and  a  guard  generally  superintended  their 
work.  In  the  year  1776,  they  attempted  an  escape  by  burning. 
A  level  had  been  opened  from  the  bottom  of  the  mines  through  the 
hill  westward,  for  the  purpose  of  draining  off  the  water,  and  the 

2 


10 

mouth  of  this  level  was  chiefly  closed  by  a  heavy  wooden  door 
firmly  fastened.  They  had  by  degrees  collected  sufficient  com- 
bustibles, and  with  a  piece  of  stone  and  steel  they  kindled  a  fire 
against  the  door,  which  burned  as  fast  as  damp  fuel  in  a  damp 
dungeon  naturally  could  ;  but  instead  of  making  their  escape  from 
the  prison,  they  all  nearly  made  their  final  escape  from  this  world, 
for  the  dense  smoke  and  blue  flame  soon  filled  the  apartment  and 
almost  suffocated  them  ;  search  being  made,  one  of  them  was  found 
dead,  and  five  others  were  brought  forth  senseless  but  finally  re- 
covered. They  were  afterwards  placed  in  a  strong  wooden  build- 
ing erected  for  the  purpose  above  ground.  They  soon  set  this 
building  on  fixe,  and  burned  it  to  the  ground  — nearly  all  escaped,, 
but  several  were  afterwards  retaken.  A  few  years  after  the 
block  house,  so  called,  was  rebuilt,  but  prudence  by  the  officers  in 
the  management  was  disregarded.  Had  they  been  more  careful  in 
adopting  safeguards  for  themselves  and  the  prisoners  they  might 
have  avoided  the  dreadful  scene  which  was  soon  to  follow — a  scene 
of  conflict  and  blood. 

As  the  war  with  England  now  raged  with  fury,  the  animosity 
between  the  Whigs  and  Tories  had  grown  in  proportion,  and  the  seal 
of  distinct  party  was  in  many  places  stamped  with  vivid  impres- 
sion, so  that  at  this  period  the  number  doomed  to  the  prison  had 
amounted  to  thirty,  and  many  of  them  were  tories.  They 
were  a  desperate  set  of  men,  and  for  their  greater  security  a  guard 
was  allotted  to  each  one,  the  thirty  guards  being  armed  with  load- 
ed muskets  and  fixed  bayonets.  On  the  night  of  the  18th  of  May 
1781,  the  dreadful  tragedy  occurred  which  resulted  in  the  escape 
of  all  of  the  prisoners.  A  prisoner  was  confined  by  the  name  of 
Young,  and  his  wife  wishing  to  be  admitted  into  the  cavern  with 
him,  she  was  searched,  and  while  two  officers  were  in  the  act  of 
raising  the  hatch  to  let  her  down,  the  prisoners  rushed  out,  knock- 
ed down  the  two  officers,  and  seizing  the  muskets  of  nearly  all  the 
rest  who  were  asleep,  immediately  took  possession  of  the  works, 
and  thrust  most  of  the  guards  into  the  dungeon  after  a  violent  con- 
test. 

One  of  them  Mr.  Gad  Sheldon,  was  mortally  wounded  fighting 
at  his  post,  and  six  more  wounded  severely.  Says  a  venerable  old 
lady  now  living,  "  it  was  a  dreadful  sight  to  see  the  wounded  guard 
as  they  were  brought  into  our  house  one  after  another,  and  laid 
upon  the  floor  weltering  in  their  blood  !  When  I  came  into  the 
room  the  faithful  Sheldon  sat  on  a  bench,  his  body  bent  forward, 
and  a  bayonet  dripping  with  blood  lying  before  him,  which  he  had 
just 'drawn  out  of  his  breast  —  it  was  a  deadly  stab!"  Many  of 
the  rebels  were  wounded,  —  some  of  them  were  assailed  and  gash- 
ed by  their  own  comrades  through  mistake,  while  fighting  in  the 


11 

darkness  of  the  conflict.  Nearly  all  made  their  escape,  except 
ihose  who  from  their  wounds  were  unable  to  flee.  One  was  taken 
upon  a  tree  in  Turkey  Hills,  east  of  the  mountain,  —  a  few  others 
were  found  in  swamps  and  barns  in  the  neighboring  towns. 

A  Committee  was  appointed  by  the  Assembly  then  in  session,  to 
repair  to  Newgate  and  inquire  into  the  facts  respecting  the  insur- 
rection. They  report  the  evidence  in  the  case,  some  of  which  his 
curious  to  notice  in  their  own  words.  "  Jacob  Southwell  was 
awakened  by  the  tumult,  took  a  gun  and  run  out  of  the  guard- 
house, and  durst  riot  go  back  for  fear  they  would  hurt  him.  N.  B. 
A  young  man  more  Jit  to  carry  Jish  to  market,  than  to  keep  guard  at 
Newgate." 

"  Nathan  Phelps  was  also  a  sleep  —  wak'd  but  could  do  nothing, 
the  prisoners  having  possession  of  the  guard-house  (a  small  lad  just 
fit  to  drive  Plow  with  a  very  gentle  Team.)  He  went  to  Mr.  Vi- 
ets'  and  stayed  till  morning  (poor  boy!)" 

"Abagail,  the  wife  of  Jno.  Young  Alias  Mattick,  says  that  the 
first  night  she  came  to  the  prison,  she  gave  to  her  husband  52  silver 
dollars —  her  hushand  told  her  after  he  came  out  that  he  had  given 
Sergt.  Lilly  50  of  them  in  order  that  he  may  sufler  the  prisoners 
to  escape  —  that  he  told  her  the  Sergt.  purposely  left  the  door  of 
the  south  jail  unlocked  —  that  Sergt.  Lilly  was  not  hurt  —  that  she 
borrowed  the  money  of  a  pedlar — that  she  heard  Lilly  say  it  was 
a  great  pity  such  likely  men  should  live  and  die  in  that  place." 

The  following  is  too  rich  in  orthography  to  be  omitted.  It  is  re- 
corded as  written  in  1783. 

"  To  the  Hon.  General  assembly,  The  humble  petishen  of  Able 
Davis  —  whare  as  at  the  honerable  supene  court  houlden  in  Hart- 
ford in  December  last  I  was  confided  of  mis  Deminer  on  the  count 
of  lieu-gate  being  burnt  as  I  had  comand  of  said  gard  and  was  or- 
ded  to  bee  confind  3  month  and  pay  fourteen  pounds  for  disabaing 
orders,  I  cant  read  riten.  but  I  did  all  in  my  power  to  Distingus 
the  flame,  but  being  very  much  frited  and  not  the  faculty  to  doe  as 
much  in  distress  as  I  could  another  time  and  that  is  very  smaul, 
what  to  do  I  that  it  was  best  to  let  out  the  prisners  that  was  in  the 
botams  as  I  had  but  just  time  to  get  the  gates  lifted  before  the  hous 
was  in  flames,  and  the  gard  being  frited  it  twant  in  my  power  to 
scape  them,  I  now  pray  to  be  Deflehaned  from  further  in  pris- 
ment,  and  the  const  of  said  sute  as  I  haute  abel  to  pay  the  coust,  or 
give  me  the  liberty  of  the  yard  as  I  am  very  unwell  as  your  pitish- 
ner  in  Duty  bound  will  for  ever  pray. 

ABEL  DAVEIS. 

Hartford  Goal  January  14th  1783. 

The  struggles  at  this  prison  to  subdue  toryism,  were  doubtless 
.greater  than  at  any  other  place  in  any  of  the  Colonies. 


12 

Few  tories  were  ever  afterwards  kept  there,  as  the  cause  of  lib- 
erty had  now  become  so  popular  among  all  classes,  that  a  person 
seldom  could  be  found  imprudent  enough  to  avow  publicly,  mo 
narchial  sentiments. 

In  1781  Congress  had  applied  to  the  Governor  of  Connecticut 
for  the  use  of  Newgate  as  a  prison  for  the  reception  of  British 
captives  taken  in  war,  but  it  appears  that  the  negotiation  did  not 
succeed. 

The  premises  were  at  this  time  used  by  the  State  for  the  con- 
finement of  criminals,  and  they  were  kept  chiefly  at  work  in  mak- 
ing wrought  nails.  It  was  not  until  1790,  that  it  was  established 
permanently  as  a  State  prison.  It  is  said  to  have  been  the  design 
to  employ  the  convicts  in  working  the  mines,  which  for  a  while 
was  practised,  but  it  was  soon  found  that  the  convicts  must  neces- 
sarily have  for  that  work,  precisely  the  right  kind  of  tools  for  dig- 
ging out,  and  they  several  times  used  them  for  that  purpose ;  this 
reason  with  the  consequent  necessity  of  keeping  so  strong  a  guard 
both  day  and  night,  finally  induced  them  to  abandon  the  employ- 
ment. In  that  year,  (1790)  an  act  was  passed  constituting  New- 
gate a  permanent  prison,  and  providing  for  the  erection  jof  the 
necessary  buildings. 

A  wooden  palisade,  mounted  with  iron  spikes  was  constructed, 
enclosing  half  an  acre  of  ground,  within  which,  work-shops  and 
other  buildings  were  placed,  and  a  deep  trench  was  opened  on  the 
western  side.  (The  wooden  enclosure  remained  until  1802,  when 
a  strong  wall  was  laid  in  its  place,  which  is  now  standing.)  A 
brick  building  was  erected  in  the  centre  of  the  yard  for  the  offi- 
cers and  privates,  in  the  rear  part  of  which  a  stone  apartment  was 
afterwards  constructed  directly  over  the  mouth  of  the  cavern,  and 
in  this  room  the  prisoners  were  occasionally  kept. 

Before  proceeding  further,  it  may  be  useful  to  describe  the  cav- 
erns more  particularly  as  being  the  prison  cells,  and  also  to  relate 
the  general  management  and  employments  of  the  prisoners,  &c. 
The  passage  down  the  shaft  into  the  caverns,  is  upon  a  ladder  fast- 
ened upon  one  side,  and  resting  on  the  bottom.  At  the  foot  of  this 
passage  commences  a  gradual  descent  for  a  considerable  distance, 
all  around  being  solid  massive  rock  or  ore.  The  passages  extend 
many  rods  in  different  directions,  some  of  them  even  leading  under 
the  cellars  of  the  dwellings  in  the  neighborhood.  In  two  of  the 
passages  are  wells  of  deep  water,  one  of  which  measures  eighty 
feet  —  they  serve  for  a  free  circulation  of  air  to  the  inmates  of  this 
gloomy  place,  and  were  sometimes  used  for  shafts  through  which 
to  lift  the  ore,  when  the  business  of  mining  was  carried  on.  On 
the  sides  and  in  the  niches  of  the  cavern,  rooms  were  built  of 
boards  for  the  prisoners,  in  which  straw  was  placed  for  their  beds. 


13 

The  horrid  gloom  of  this  dungeon  can  be  realized  only  by  those 
who  pass  among  its  solitary  windings.  The  impenetrable  vastness 
supporting  the  awful  mass  above,  impending  as  if  ready  to  crush 
one  to  atoms,  —  the  dripping  water  trickling  like  tears  from  its 
sides,  — the  unearthly  echoes  responding  to  the  voice,  all  conspire 
to  strike  the  beholder  aghast  with  amazement  and  horror  !  These 
caverns  and  their  precints,  from  their  antiquity,  and  the  dramas 
which  have  been  performed  within  and  around,  will  long  be  con- 
sidered as  a  classic  place.  The  caverns  have  generally  been  ex- 
tremelj^ayorable  to  the  health  and  longevity  of  the  occupants, 
which  is  supposed  to  arise  from  some  medical  quality  in  the  mine- 
ral rock. 

It  is  a  curious  fact,  that  many  of  the  convicts  having  previously 
taken  the  itch  or  other  loathsome  diseases  while  confined  in  the 
county  jails  which  were  very  filthy,  on  being  for  a  few  weeks  kept 
in  the  caverns  at  night,  entirely  recovered  ;  and  it  is  perhaps  still 
more  strange  that  those  who  came  apparently  in  health,  generally 
had  for  a  short  time  cutaneous  eruptions  which  appeared  to  work 
out  of  their  blood. 

A  writer  upon  the  subject  observes,  "  From  the  various  wind- 
ings and  other  causes,  it  is  not  cold  there,  even  in  the  severest  weath- 
er ;  and  strange  as  it  may  seem,  it  has  been  satisfactorily  ascertain- 
ed that  the  mercury  ranged  8  degrees  lower  in  the  lodging  apart- 
ments of  the  prisoners  in  the  warmest  days  of  summer,  than  it 
does  in  the  coldest  in  the  winter.  This  phenomenon  is  attributed 
to  the  circumstance  of  the  cavities  in  the  rocks  being  stopped  with 
snow,  ice  and  frost  in  the  winter,  which  prevents  so  free  a  circula- 
tion of  air  as  is  enjoyed  in  the  summer.  On  the  18th  of  January, 
1811,  at  eight  o'clock,  A.  M.  the  mercury  stood  in  the  cavern  at 
52  degrees  ;  and  in  open  air,  as  soon  after  as  it  was  practicable  for 
a  person  to  get  up  from  the  cavern,  (which  could  not  have  exceed- 
ed five  minutes,)  it  fell  to  one  degree  below  0."  Among  the  nu- 
merous visitants  at  the  prison  an  accident  occurred  which  would 
seem  very  dangerous.  Mrs.  Christia  Grisvvold  of  Poquonock, 
while  standing  at  the  mouth  of  the  shaft  leading  down  into  the 
cavern,  accidentally  stepped  off,  and  fell  the  whole  depth  striking 
on  the  rocky  bottom.  The  buoyancy  of  her  clothes  or  some  oth- 
er cause  saved  her  life,  though  she  received  injuries  from  which 
she  never  entirely  recovered.  A  prisoner  afterwards  fell  at  the 
same  place,  fetters  and  all,  without  appearing  to  injure  him  it  is 
said,  in  the  least. 

By  some,  this  place  has  been  compared  to  the  ancient  Bastile  of 
France,  but  the  comparison  is  far  from  being  correct,  except  in 
the  frightful  emotions  which  this  dungeon  is  calculated  to  inspire. 
The  floors  and  theroof  of  the  Bastile  were  made  of  iron  plates  riv- 


14 

eted  upon  iron  bars.  The  walls  were  of  stone  and  iron  several 
feet  in  thickness — the  whole  being  surrounded  by  walls,  and  a  ditch 
25  feet  deep.  The  entrance  to  each  cell  was  through  three  con- 
secutive doors  secured  by  double  locks.  The  scanty  food,  and  the 
silent,  unavailing  grief  endured  by  the  wretched  victims  of  that 
dreadful  abode,  often  reduced  them  to  entire  idiocy  ;  besides,  they 
were  taken  from  those  death-like  cells  each  year,  and  subjected  to 
the  horrible  torture  of  the  rack,  which  often  dislocated  their  joints 
or  crushed  their  bones,  and  all  this  perhaps  for  merely  uttering  a 
sentiment  averse  to  some  political  party  in  power  !  T^h^loldiers 
and  officers  also  of  the  Bastile,  except  the  Governor,  were  prison- 
ers in  everything  but  in  name.  When  they  entered  the  walls  of 
that  prison,  it  was  for  the  term  of  their  lives,  and  a  wish  expressed 
even  to  go  out,  was  instant  death.  Newgate,  in  every  respect, 
would  bear  no  similitude  to  the  Bastile.  Indeed,  the  treatment  of 
the  prisoners  and  of  the  guard  was  often  too  lenient,  although  for 
disobedience,  punishment  was  sometimes  inflicted  in  the  severest 
manner. 

A  description  of  the  daily  management  of  Newgate  will,  at  this 
day  no  doubt,  be  useful.  The  hatches  were  opened  and  the  pris- 
oners called  out  of  their  dungeon  each  morning  at  daylight,  and 
three  were  ordered  to  "heave"  up  at  a  time;  a  guard  followed  the 
three  to  their  shops,  placing  them  at  their  work,  and  chaining 
those  to  the  block  whose  tempers  were  thought  to  require  it.  All 
were  bro't  out  likewise  in  squads  of  three,  and  each  followed  by  a 
guard.  To  those  who  never  saw  the  operation,  their  appearance 
cannot  be  truly  conceived,  as  they  vaulted  forth  from  the  dungeon 
in  their  blackness,  their  chains  clanking  at  every  step,  and  their 
eyes  flashing  fire  upon  the  bystanders  around.  It  resembled,  per- 
haps more  than  any  thing,  the  belching  from  the  bottomless  pit. 
After  awhile  their  rations  for  the  day  were  carried  to  them  in  their 
several  shops.  They  consisted  for  one  day  of  one  pound  of  beef 
or  three-fourths  of  a  pound  of  pork,  one  pound  of  bread,  one 
bushel  of  potatoes  for  each  fifty  rations,  and  one  pint  of  cider  to 
every  man.  Each  one  divided  his  own  rations  for  the  day  to  suit 
himself — some  cooked  over  their  own  mess  in  a  small  kettle  at 
their  leisure,  while  others,  disregarding  ceremonies,  seized  their 
allowance  and  ate  it  on  an  anvil  or  block.  The  scene  was  really 
graphic,  and  might  remind  one  of  a  motley  company  of  foreign  em- 
grants  on  the  deck  of  a  canal-boat,  during  their  journey  to  the 
"  far  West."  They  were  allowed  to  swap  rations,  exchange  com- 
modities, barter,  buy  and  sell,  at  their  pleasure.  Some  would  swap 
their  rations  for  cider,  and  often  would  get  so  tipsy  they  could  not 
work,  and  would  "reel  to  and  fro  like  a  drunken  man."  Old 
Guinea  was  frequently  commissioned  by  them  to  go  abroad  and 


15 

purchase  the  "  good  creature"  for  them,  and  would  often  return 
laden  with  two  or  three  gallons.  Sometimes,  by  taking  his  pay  out 
of  the  cargo  on  the  road  rather  freely,  his  ship  would  get  becalm- 
ed, when  he  would  cast  anchor  by  the  way  side  for  the  night,  mak- 
ing the  consignees  doubly  glad  upon  his  safe  arrival  "  in  the  beau- 
tiful morning,"  All  were  allowed  to  work  for  themselves  or  oth- 
ers after  their  daily  tasks  were  finished,  and  in  that  way  some  of 
them  actually  laid  up  considerable  sums  of  money.  During  the 
day  the  guard  were  changed  once  in  two  hours,  at  the  sound  of  the 
horn,  and  in  the  night  a  guard  entered  the  caverns  every  two 
hours  and  counted  the  prisoners.  The  punishments  inflicted  for 
offences  and  neglect  of  duty  were  severe  flogging,  confinement  in 
stocks  in  the  dungeon,  being  fed  on  bread  and  water  during  the 
time,  double  or  treble  setts  of  irons,  hanging  by  the  heels,  &c.  — 
all  tending  to  inflame  their  revenge  and  hatred,  and  seldom  were 
appeals  made  to  their  reason  or  better  feelings.  From  thirty  to 
one  hundred  were  placed  together  through  the  night,  solitary  lodg- 
ing being  regarded  asa  punishment,  ratherthan  a  blessing  to  them, 
as  at  this  day. 

Their  employment  consisted  in  making  nails,  barrels,  shoe?, 
wagons,  doing  job-work,  farming,  and  working  on  the  tread-mill. 

The  following  is  a  relation  of  some  of  the  Anecdotes,  Escapes, 
and  Insurrections,  which  have  occurred  at  various  periods  in  New- 
gate prison,  which  may  be  relied  upon  as  being  in  the  main,  cor- 
rect. 

In  November,  1794,  a  convict  by  the  name  of  Newel  escaped 
from  the  prison  by  digging  out.  It  was  the  practice  at  that  time 
to  allow  the  prisoners  the  choice  of  lodging  in  the  stone  cellar  un- 
der the  guard-room,  (generally  known  by  the  name  of  the  stone 
jug,)  or  of  going  from  thence  down  into  the  caverns.  During  the 
night  a  noise  below  was  heard  by  the  guard,  and  some  of  them 
went  down  among  the  prisoners  to  learn  the  cause,  but  could  dis- 
cover nothing  out  of  place.  In  the  morning  on  counting  them,  as 
was  customary,  one  was  discovered  to  be  missing.  It  was  found 
that  the  prisoners,  in  some  unaccountable  manner,  had  contrived 
to  loosen  and  pull  out  one  of  the  large  cubic  stones  on  the  bottom 
of  the  cellar.  Through  the  aperture  thus  made,  they  hauled  out 
the  earth,  pouring  it  down  the  shaft,  and  incredible  as  it  may 
seem,  they  dug  a  hole  through  gravel,  earth  arid  stones,  under  the 
floor  and  wall  large  enough  for  a  man  to  crawl  out  !  It  appears 
that  when  the  guard  went  down  among  them  in  the  night,  the 
prisoners  could  hear  their  arrangements  for  descending,  and  in- 
stantly replaced  the  stone  and  prevented  a  discovery  of  their  ope- 
rations. Newel,  being  a  very  small  man,  had  succeeded  in  iiiuk- 
ing  his  escape  first ;  he  was  never  afterwards  retaken. 


16 

In  the  year  1802  the  prisoners  rose  upon  the  guard.     The  com- 
mander, Col.  Thomas  Sheldon  was  then  sick,  and  soon  after  died ; 
all  the  officers  and  guard  were  sick  also,  except  Mr.  Dan  Forward, 
a  private.     With  occasional  assistance  of  people  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, the  entire  charge  of  the  prisoners,  at  that  time  amounting  to 
between  thirty  arid  forty,  devolved   upon  him.     They  had  heard 
that  many  of  the  officers  and  privates  were  sick,  and   observing 
that  one  man  performed  nearly  the  whole  duty  their  suspicions 
were  confirmed,    and   their  plot  strengthened.     It  is  not  certain 
whether  there  was  a  fair  understanding  among  them  —  if  there 
was,  their  courage  most  miserably  failed.     While  they  were  pass- 
ing down  into  their  caverns  at   the  close  of  the  day  as  usual,  and 
when  nearly  all  of  them  were  going  down  the  ladder,those  who  re- 
mained refused  to  proceed,  and  began  an  attack  upon  Forward  who 
was  standing  near.     He  was  a  robust,  stout  fellow,  over  six  feet 
high,  and  always  ready  for  any  contest ;  and  instead  of  retreating, 
he  returned  their  compliments,  taking  one  by  the  neck  and  anoth- 
er by  the  heels,   and  dashing  them  down  into  the  shaft  upon  the 
rest  who  had  now  begun  to  come  up.     The  neighbors   hearing  a 
scuffle  at  the  prison  ran  over  to  his  assistance  ;  but  their  aid  was 
unnecessary,  as  Forward  had  vanquished  his  foes  and  turned  their 
course  into  the  dungeon.     It  is  very  likely  that  all  could  have  es- 
caped if  Forward  had  betrayed  the  least  sign  of  fear,  or  had  resor- 
ted to  persuasion.     At  this  time  a  very  contagious  fever  raged  at 
the  prison  and  soon  began  to  spread  among  the  convicts.     It  was 
without  doubt  owing  to  the  filth  in  and  around  the  prison,  and  to 
the  want  and  care  and  attention  to  their  cleanliness  and  comfort. 
The  disease  was  so  virulent  that  in  order  to  arrest  its  progress,  a 
barn  was  engaged  of  Capt.  Roswell  Phelps,  into  which  they  were 
to  be  removed  —  people  in  the   vicinity  were  employed  to  take 
care  of  the  sick  and  perform  the  duties  of  guard  ;  but  all  the  pris- 
oners except  three  Irishmen  being  sick,  it  was  found  impractica- 
ble to  remove   them,  and   after  some  weeks  the  disease  abated. 
None  of  the  prisoners,  however,  died,  and  no  other  instance  of  a 
general  contagion  among  them  ever  afterwards  occurred. 

In  1806,  on  the  1st  of  November,  a  rebellion  occurred  which  for 
its  results  deserves  notice.  About  thirty  prisoners  in  the  nail  shop 
had  procured  keys  made  from  the  pewter  buttons  on  their  clothes, 
and  with  those  keys  they  were  to  unlock  their  fetters.  It  was 
agreed  that  one  of  their  number  should  strike  a  shovel  across  a 
chimney,  and  that  was  to  be  the  signal  for  them  all  to  unlock  fet- 
ters, and  commence  an  attack  upon  the  guard,  to  wrest  their  weap- 
ons from  them  and  use  them  to  the  best  advantage.  The  signal 
was  given  —  their  fetters  were  unlocked,  and  two  of  their  number 
began  the  attack.  Aaron  Goomer  a  negro,  and  another,  seized 


17 

an  officer  by  name  of  Smith,  who  not  having  time  to  draw  his 
sword  struck  upon  them  with  scabbard  and  all,  and  while  the  scuf- 
fle was  going  on,  a  guard  named  Roe,  ran  to  the  spot  with  his 
musket,  and  levelling  it  at  Goomer,  shot  him  dead  on  the  spot  — 
two  balls  passed  through  his  head  —  his  hair  was  singed,  and  his 
brains  scattered  around  the  shop.  His  comrade  seeing  his  fate, 
returned  to  his  post.  The  courage  of  the  rest  "oozed  out  at  their 
fingers  ends,"  for  not  one  of  them  dared  to  stir  from  their  places, 
although  their  shackles  were  unfastened.  Had  a  well  concerted 
attack  been  made  and  sustained  by  the  rebels  at  this  moment,  they 
would  have  commanded  the  prison  in  five  minutes,  and  could  have 
put  to  death  every  officer  and  private  in  their  quarters. 

Three  brothers  by  the  name  of  Barnes,  natives  of  North  Haven, 
were  imprisoned  together  for  the  crime  of  burglary,  in  1803. 
These  were  the  most  active  and  the  finest  looking  men  in  the  pris 
on.  They  were  very  ingenious  and  adroit,  and  would  construct 
almost  any  mechanism  required  of  them  —  these  were  the  fellows 
who  planned  the  insurrection  before  spoken  of,  and  they  made  the 
pewter  keys  for  unlocking  the  fetters.  They  were  experienced  in 
making  keys,  and  could  once,  it  is  said,  open  any  store  in  New 
Haven;  but  their  ingenuity  at  length  brought  them  to  an  unfortu- 
nate place. 

The  fact  is  surprising  that  the  same  three  committed  the  same 
offence  again,  and  were  convicted  and  imprisoned  again  just  three 
years  after !  These  brothers  were  regarded  by  the  officers  as  ex- 
tremely dangerous,  and  for  various  offences  in  the  prison,  they  were 
kept  bound  with  two  setts  of  fetters  during  the  day,  and  also  chain- 
ed to  the  block,  besides  being  sometimes  chained  by  their  necks 
to  a  beam  over  head,  and  at  night  they  were  put  into  the  dungeons 
and  their  feet  made  fast  in  stocks. 

One  of  the  convicts  named  Parker,  had  been  famous  for  coun- 
terfeiting the  character  of  priest.  He  had  been  known  to  have 
many  violent  attacks  of  pretended  piety,  generally  appropriating 
to  himself  the  name  and  office  of  an  unordained  minister  —  a  part 
which  he  managed  with  a  great  deal  of  dexterity,  and  commonly 
without  suspicion  on  the  part  of  his  "dear  hearers"  that  he  was  an 
imposter.  His  exortations  had  been  terrible  to  all  stoncy  hearts, 
and  where  his  preaching  lacked  mental  light  or  logic,  he  always 
had  ready  supply  of  bombast  and  bodily  contortions. 

Another  game  it  is  said  he  performed  to  admiration.  When  he 
could  hear  of  the  absence  of  a  long  lost  friend  in  a  family,  he 
would  appear  and  claim  the  identical  relationship  himself,  and  act 
all  the  tragedy  or  romantic  pathos  of  a  joyful  return. 

In  one  instance  he  claimed  to  be  the  husband  of  a  disconsolate 
widow,  and  was  received  by  her  with  all  the  attachment  supposa- 

3 


18 

ble  at  such  a  happy  reunion.  How  long  her  paramour  managed 
to  cajole  her  is  not  certainly  stated,  but  he  doubtless  appropriated 
to  his  own  condition  the  sentiment  that  "absence  tightens  the 
chords  which  unite  friends  and  lovers." 

How  astonishing  such  adroitness!  to  be  preacher  and  "steal  the 
livery  of  Heaven  to  serve  the  devil  in"  —  to  be  brother,  son,  or 
husband,  and  appearing  more  natural  so  to  speak,  in  a  fictitious 
garb,  than  in  his  real  character.  When  his  term  of  service  expir- 
ed, and  as  he  was  passing  out  of  the  prison  gate,  one  of  the  con- 
victs exclaimed  "  wo  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  for  the  devil 
has  gone  out  among  them." 

Prince  Mortimer,  a  prisoner  lived  to  a  very  advanced  age. 
He  died  at  the  prison  in  Wethersfield,  in  1834,  supposed  to  be  ]  10 
years  old;  he  commonly  went  by  the  name  of  Guinea,  which  was 
probably  given  to  him  on  account  of  his  native  country.  His  com- 
plexion did  not  in  the  least  belie  his  name,  for  surely  he  was  the 
personification  of  "darkness  visible."  His  life  was  a  tale  of  mis- 
fortunes, and  his  fate  won  the  commiseration  of  all  who  knew  him. 
He  was  captured  on  the  coast  of  Guinea  by  a  slaver  when  a  boy  — 
was  transported  in  a  filty  slave  ship  to  Connecticut,  then  a  slave 
colony,  and  was  sold  to  one  of  the  Mortimer  family  in  Middletown. 
He  was  a  servant  to  different  officers  in  the  Revolutionary  war  — 
had  been  sent  on  errands  by  General  Washington,  and  said  he  had 
•'straddled  many  a  cannon  when  fired  by  the  Americans  at 
the  British  troops."  For  the  alledged  crime  of  poisoning  his 
master  he  was  doomed  to  Newgate  prison  in  1811  for  life.  He 
appeared  a  harmless,  clever  old  man,  and  as  his  age  and  infirmi- 
ties rendered  him  a  burden  to  the  keepers,  they  frequently  tried  to 
induce  him  to  quit  the  prison.  Once  he  took  his  departure,  and  af- 
ter rambling  around  in  search  of  some  one  he  formerly  knew,  like  the 
aged  prisoner  released  from  the  Bastile,  he  returned  to  the  gates 
of  the  prison,  and  begged  to  be  re-admitted  to  his  dungeon  home, 
and  in  prison  ended  his  unhappy  years  ! 

Samuel  Smith  alias  Samuel  Corson,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire, 
while  confined  at  Newgate  for  passing  counterfeit  money,  wrote 
an  account  of  his  own  life  which  was  published  in  1826.  He  stated 
many  queer  circumstances  about  himself  and  the  various  paths  of 
crime  which  he  had  followed  through  life.  It  appears  he  had  been 
a  recruiting  officer  in  the  service  and  was  stationed  at  Plattsburg, 
N.  Y.  One  of  his  pranks  is  worthy  of  being  recorded  in  his  own 
words. 

"One  evening,  I  together  with  a  number  of  other  non-commis- 
sioned officers,  took  a  walk  down  town  for  our  amusement,  and  on 
our  return  home,  I  saw  by  a  light  through  the  window  of  a  Mr. 
I's  house,  something  laying  very  carefully  rolled  up,  on  a  table,  un- 


19 

tier  the  window.  I  also  perceived  that  there  was  no  person  in  the 
room.  I  now  thinking  to  get  something  rare  and  fresh,  in  order 
for  our  suppers,  lifted  up  the  window,  and  on  putting  my  hand  in, 
felt  by  its  ribs  and  size,  enough  to  convince  me  that  it  was  a  good 
roaster,  and  I  of  course  made  it  a  lawful  prize.  Putting  it  under 
my  coat,  I  said  nothing  about  it  to  my  comrades,  until  our  arrival 
at  my  quarters,  where  I  had  invited  them  to  accept  of  some  refresh- 
ment. After  striking  a  light  and  introducing  a  good  bottle  of 
Brandy,  I  thought  it  the  most  convenient  time  to  uncover  my 
booty,  in  order  to  satisfy  our  craving  appetites.  At  this  moment, 
all  eyes  were  gazing  at  the  mysterious  prize,  when  lo !  to  my  ut- 
ter surprise  and  astonishment,  it  had  turned  from  a  roaster  to  a 
colored  child.  You  can  hardly  imagine  dear  readers,  what  were 
my  feelings  at  this  critical  moment,  not  only  from  exposition 
among  my  fellow  officers,  nor  disappointment  in  my  intended  and 
contemplated  supper,  but  also,  in  the  thoughts  of  robbing  some 
unhappy  parents  of  their  darling  child.  I  need  not  add,  that  they 
had  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter,  at  my  expense,  whilst  my  wits  were 
all  to  work  in  order  to  devise  some  manner  of  getting  out  of  the 
hobble,  and  restoring  the  infant  undiscovered,  to  its  proper  own- 
ers. This  I  thought  best  to  do,  by  returning  it  immediately  to  Mr. 
I's,  and  in  order  to  accomplish  this,  I  took  it  again  under  my  coat 
and  repaired  to  the  main  guard,  to  obtain  liberty  to  return  to  the 
village.  On  asking  Lieutenant  Ellison  (who  was  officer  of  the 
guard)  he  discovered  something  white  hanging  below  my  coat,  and 
insisted  on  knowing  what  it  was;  when  I  had  of  course  to  reveal 
the  whole  secret  to  him  ;  he  also  laughed  heartily  and  told  me  to 
go  on.  When  I  returned  to  Mr.  I's,  the  house  was  filled  with  both 
men  and  women,  who,  having  missed  the  child,  did  not  know  what 
to  think  of  its  mysterious  flight.  I  had  at  first  thought  of  leaving 
it  at  the  door,  but  fearing  the  numerous  hogs  in  the  vicinity  would 
destroy  it,  I  altered  my  mind,  and  taking  it  by  the  heels,  threw  it 
into  the  room  among  them.  At  this  crisis,  how  must  they  have 
felt,  to  see  it  re-appear  amongst  them,  and  feeling  at  the  same 
time,  the  effects  of  innumerable  particles  of  glass,  which  flew  in 
all  directions  over  the  room.  Their  screams  were  indiscribable — 
by  which,  in  a  few  moments,  not  only  the  house,  but  the  street  was 
filled  with  astonished  spectators ;  all  anxious  to  know  what  was 
the  matter.  On  my  return  home,  I  met  many  repairing  for  the 
house,  and  on  some  of  them  enquiring  what  was  the  matter  up  the 
street,  I  told  them  that  I  believed  there  was  a  crazy  man  in  the 
house  of  Mr.  I.  On  arriving  at  the  barracks  all  was  still,  and  I 
heard  nothing  more  respecting  it  for  some  days." 

A  convict,  by  the  name  of  Newman,  was  a  noted  prison  breaker. 
Although  he  perhaps  could  not  boast  of  unlocking,  scaling,  and 


20 

digging  out  of  so  many  prisons  as  the  famous  Stephen  Burrows, 
yet  his  character,  as  it  was  written,  compared  very  well.  He  es- 
caped in  various  ways  from  several  prisons  in  Canada  and  the  Uni- 
ted States,  but  this  one  he  said,  "  was  the  hardest  and  most  secure 
prison  Fie  ever  entered."  However,  he  contrived  several  plans  for 
escaping;  once  he  feigned  himself  to  be  dead.  He  was  accor- 
dingly laid  out  as  a  corpse,  and  preparations  made  for  his  inter- 
ment; but  before  finding  his  carcase  firmly  under  ground,  he  con- 
cluded it  best  to  have  his  resurrection,  and  at  length  ventured  to 
disclose  to  his  attendants  the  important  fact,  that  he  would  feel 
quite  as  comfortable  in  his  long  home  if  he  could  only  get  the 
breath  out  of  his  body  and  make  his  heart  stop  beating.  He  of- 
ten pretended  to  have  fits,  requiring  medical  aid,  and  what 
was  of  more  consequence,  the  aid  of  a  little  Brandy  or  Madeira. 
He  was  finally  cured  of  these  tricks  with  the  threat  of  having  the 
brand  of  Rogue  set  on  his  forehead. 

It  was  frequently  customary  for  farmers  and  others  in  the  neigh- 
borhood to  employ  the  prisoners  in  their  fields,  being  accompan- 
ied at  such  times  by  some  of  the  guard.  They  also  performed  a 
great  amount  of  labor  in  quarrying  stone  for  the  prison  buildings 
and  other  uses.  Six  of  them  on  one  occasion  were  sent  out  a  short 
distance  to  quarry  stone,  in  charge  of  one  officer  and  two  privates 
With  no  fetters,  and  a  fair  field  before  them,  they  perceived  the 
chance  a  good  one  for  escape.  Their  plan  was  to  get  their  keep- 
ers near  together  —  to  employ  their  attention  about  some  trifle  and 
quickly  seize  their  arms.  Accordingly  they  persuaded  their  keep- 
ers to  peel  off  some  birch  bark  and  make  some  caps  for  them,  and 
while  the  cap  business  was  going  on,  and  the  attention  of  the  cap 
makers  was  occupied  in  their  vocation,  their  weapons  were  seized 
in  an  instant  —  the  refugees  dividing  the  spoils  and  forming  them- 
selves into  squads,  quickly  scampered  over  the  hills.  The  forlorn 
guards  retreated  to  the  prison  —  told  their  sad  tale  to  the  Captain, 
and  at  once  received  their  discharge.  The  prisoners  were  all  re- 
taken—  some  in  the  western  part  of  the  State  for  stealing;  the 
others  stole  a  boat  in  Connecticut  river,  and  steering  down  the 
stream  leisurely,  were  captured  in  East  Hartford  meadows. 

The  wit  of  some  of  the  convicts  is  well  illustrated  in  an  anec- 
dote of  one  of  them,  an  Irishman,  named  Dublin.  He  was  at  his 
work  making  nails,  when  at  one  time  Maj.  Humphrey  who  then 
commanded  came  along,  and  says  to  him,  "Dublin,  your  nails  are 
defective  —  the  heads  are  not  made  alike."  "Ah, "said  he,  "Ma- 
jor, if  our  heads  had  all  been  made  alike,  faith,  I  should  not  have 
been  caught  here." 

Dublin  afterwards  tried  to  escape  by  leaping  over  the  paling. — 
He  succeeded  in  getting  upon  the  top,  and  in  leaping  down  one  of 


21 

he  iron  spikes  with  which  the  enclosure  was  mounted,  caught  in 
bis  fetters  and  turned  him  as  he  said  "tother  end  up.'*  For  some 
time  he  hung  suspended  head  downwards  between  heaven  and 
earth,  17  feet  high,  until  at  last  after  tearing  off  his  finger  ends  and 
nails  in  his  struggles,  he  turned  himself  back  sufficiently  to  disen- 
tangle his  feet,  when  he  fell  to  the  ground  and  soon  scampered 
among  the  swamps  and  bushes.  There  he  remained  until  aroused 
by  the  unwelcome  calls  of  his  stomach,  when  he  ventured  out  in 
the  night,  and  opening  a  window  in  the  neighborhood  he  appro- 
priated to  himself  a  good  loaf  of  bread  and  a  cheese,  and  again  hid 
himself  for  two  days.  In  trying  to  break  his  fetters  with  a  stone 
he  was  overheard  by  one  of  the  guard,  Michael  Holcomb,  who 
called  to  him  "Dublin  what  are  you  doing?"  "I  am  driving  the 
sheep  out  of  my  pasture,"  said  he.  "But  Dublin  you  must  come 
along  with  me."  "  Faith  rnisthur  Holcomb,  surely  this  is  not  me," 
replied  Dublin.  He  was  taken  to  the  prison  where  Holcomb  re- 
ceived the  reward  of  810  which  had  been  offered. 

In  the  spring  of  1822,  there  was  an  insurrection  of  a  very  seri- 
ous character.  In  the  fall  before  between  thirty  and  forty  crim- 
inals were  added  to  the  number  in  the  prison,  and  this  reinforce- 
ment was  composed  principally  of  the  roughest  and  hardest  char- 
acters. Their  terms  of  sentence  were  mostly  long  which  served 
to  fire  them  with  desperation.  The  same  fall  a  plot  was  set  on 
foot  by  them  for  an  outbreak,  but  it  was  discovered  and  defeated. 
The  next  spring  they  perfected  their  plans  of  operation  in  a  most 
masterly  manner.  The  insurgents  comprised  the  whole  number  in 
the  prison  amounting  to  130.  Their  force  was  stronger  than  ever 
before,  and  the  number  of  guard  less,  being  at  the  time  only  17. 
The  captain  (Tuller)  was  absent  through  the  night,  also  one  ser- 
geant, one  private,  and  the  cook.  The  intention  of  the  rebels  was 
to  rise  in  all  the  shops,  en  masse,  at  a  given  signal  to  knock 
down  the  officers,  take  their  weapons,  and  get  possession  of 
the  guard  house  where  the  arms  were  kept,  and  then  to  take 
the  sole  command  of  the  works.  The  signal  was  given  in  the  nail 
shop  by  a  blow  from  a  shovel,  and  officer  Roe  was  instantly  knock- 
ed down  senseless  with  a  bar  of  iron  —  they  seized  his  cutlass  and 
then  attacked  a  guard,  but  so  many  being  engaged  upon  him  at 
once,  pulling  different  ways,  that  they  did  not  succeed  in  getting 
his  musket.  Officer  Case  in  the  meantime  stationed  a  sentinel,  at 
the  door  of  the  guard-room,  with  a  loaded  musket  and  bayonet 
charged,  which  being  noticed  by  the  prisoners  in  the  other  shops, 
prevented  their  advancing  to  the  attack,  and  seemed  to  dishearten 
them  at  once.  The  bold  rebels  in  the  nail  shop  kept  up  the  strug- 
gle, and  sledges,  spikes,  and  other  missiles  flew  in  all  directions, 
and  confusion  and  uproar  reigned  throughout.  At  this  critical  mo- 


22 

ment  officer  Griswold  arrived  at  the  prison,  and  proceeded  direct- 
ly to  the  scuffle  at  the  musket  —  he  drew  his  pistol,  fired  upon  and 
wounded  a  prisoner.  Roe  by  this  time  had  come  to  his  senses ; 
he  arose  from  the  ground  and  shot  another,  when  presently  sever- 
al guard  presented  their  cocked  muskets*  which  immediately 
quelled  the  assailants.  The  general  cry  of  the  prisoners  was  now 
for  quarters  —  "  Spare  us  !  —  don't  kill  us !  —  don't  kill  us !".  The 
captain  soon  after  arrived  and  bound  the  ringleaders  in  double 
irons. 

Ephraim  Shaylor,  one  of  the  guard,  was  sent  oat  to  accompany 
two  prisoners,  an  Indian  and  a  white  man,  about  1  >£  miles  from 
the  prison  where  they  were  employed  in  reaping.  At  the  close  of 
the  day,  on  their  return,  the  prisoners  requested  permission  to 
gather  some  apples  and  carry  them  home,  to  which  Shaylor  con- 
sented ;  he  also  was  engaged  in  picking  them  up  when  they  sprang 
upon  his  back,  crushed  him  down,  and  secured  his  weapons  —  a- 
cutlass  and  fowling  piece.  One  of  them  took  a  large  stone  and 
was  about  to  smash  out  his  brains,  but  the  other  dissented,  and 
they  concluded  best  to  take  him  to  a  copse  of  bushes  near  by  and 
there  dispatch  him.  One  followed  at  his  back  holding  him  by 
his  sword  belt  with  cutlass  in  hand,  and  the  other  marched  at  a 
respectable  distance,  with  musket  charged  in  true  military  style, 
and  onward  they  marched  towards  the  fatal  spot.  Our  hero  now 
concluded  that  his  final  hour  had  come,  and  thought  if  he  must 
die,  there  might  be  at  least  a  choice  in  the  mode;  and  considering 
that  a  shot  in  the  back  at  such  a  crisis  would  be  no  dishonor,  on  a 
sudden  he  slipped  the  belt  jover  his  head  and  made  for  the  prison, 
while  the  victors  were  disputing  between  themselves  which  should 
take  the  musket  and  fire  upon  him,  —  Shaylor  reached  the  prison 
in  safety,  rallied  several  others  and  pursued  them,  but  they  were 
not  to  be  found. 

After  their  victory,  it  appears  that  the  Indian  proposed  to  the 
white  man  to  break  each  others  fetters,  to  which  the  other  agreed, 
and  after  those  of  the  Indian  were  broken,  the  crafty  fiar  took 
speedy  leave  of  his  comrade  without  reciprocating  the  favor,  thus 
proving  that  the  old  adage  in  this  instance  is  not  true,  "  there  is 
honor  among  -rogues."  The  white  man  secreted  himself  in  the 
mountains  through  the  day,  and  at  night  went  to  a  blacksmith's  shop 
in  Suffield,  and  with  a  chisel  cut  off  bis  fetters.  Both  were  after- 
wards taken  for  crime  and  recommitted  to  Newgate,  where  their 
condition  and  that  of  their  enemy  as  victor  and  vanquished  was 
strangely  reversed,  and  Shaylor  had  an  opportunity  of  enjoying 
his  right  of  laying  upon  their  bare  backs,  a  few  keen  lashes. 

Mr.  Shaylor  afterwards   held  a  commission  in  the  army,  was 


23 

engaged  in  the  battle  of  Bridgewater,  and  was  wounded  —  he  now 
draws  a  pension  and  is  a  respected  citizen  of  Green  Bay,  Mich. 

A  Thief  by  name  of  James  Smith,  a  native  of  Groton,  Conn., 
was  imprisoned  for  horse-stealing,  in  1822,  for  the  term  of  six 
years.  He  had  been  a  great  counterfeiter,  and  circumstances 
which  have  recently  come  to  light  are  evidence  that  he  had  been 
a  barbarous  Pirate.  The  piratical  crew  had  sailed  in  a  French 
vessel,  and  after  obtaining  much  plunder,  fearing  to  enter  any  port 
without  regular  papers,  they  sunk  their  vessel  on  the  coast  of 
North  Carolina,  carried  their  specie  in  three  boats  and  buried  it 
all  except  one  large  trunk  full,  on  the  beach  in  Currituck  County. 
In  corroboration  of  the  above  it  appears  that  while  he  was  a  pris- 
oner in  Newgate,  he  offered  David  Foster,  a  guard,  $200  if  he 
would  assist  him  to  escape,  telling  him  he  had  a  great  quantity  of 
specie  buried  on  the  coast  of  North  Carolina.  Foster  refused  but 
promised  to  say  nothing  about  it  —  this  he  testified  in  court  when 
afterwards  called  upon  as  a  witness.  Smith  in  a  few  months  after- 
wards escaped  from  prison,  and  as  was  supposed,  by  bribery. 

The  following  respecting  him  is  related  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Tay- 
lor a  planter  now    living  in  North  Carolina.      Smith  and  seven  or 
eight  others  came  to  his  house  in  the  year  1822,  and  hired  of  him 
a  room ;  they  employed  him  with  four  of  his  slaves  to  cross  Cur- 
rituck Sound,  and  obtained  a  large  trunk,  very  heavy,  and  return- 
ed to  his  house  where  they  all  remained  about  one  week.     While 
there  he  saw  them  divide  a  large  sum  of  specie  among  themselves, 
and  Smith   appearing  to  be  at  their  head  took  the  largest  sum  — 
they  were  arrested  on  suspicion  of  being  robbers,  but  for  want  of 
sufficient  evidence  discharged.     They  all   then   left    for  Norfolk, 
Va.,  except   Smith,    who  remained  several  weeks,  —  during  this 
time  he  appeared  at  times  deranged,  would  talk  to  himself,  and 
told  the  servants  that  he  "had  made  many  a  man  walk  the  plank 
overboard."     He  then  went  to  the  north  and  was  imprisoned   at 
Newgate  for  stealing  a  horse.     After  his  escape  from  prison  as  above 
stated,   he  returned  to  the  house  of  Mr.   Taylor  and   staid  about 
one  week  —  while  there  he  employed    several  men  in   digging  on 
the  beach.     Their  search  was  fruitless,  for  the  storms  and  waves 
had  dashed  upon  the  beach  too  long,  and  it  is  supposed   swept  the 
treasures  into  the  ocean.     He  then  went   away  to  some  place  un- 
known to  Mr.  Taylor.     It  now  appears  from  the  prison  records, 
that  he  came  to  Connecticut  where   he  was  taken  and  again  sen- 
tenced for  twenty-three  years  on  four  indictments  for  horse-steal- 
ing.    His  last  home  on   earth  was  the  prison,  and  there  he  died 
in  1836. 

The  last  tragedy  developed  at  Newgate,  took  place  on  the  night 
previous  to  the  removal  to  Wethersfield.     Abel  N.  Starkey  an  in- 
3 


24 

genious  criminal  was  the  victim.  He  was  a  native  of  Roxbury, 
Mass.  —  was  committed  in  1824  for  20  years,  for  the  crime  of 
making  counterfeit  money.  By  his  ingenuity  and  industry  at  the 
prison  he  had  amassed  $100  in  cash.  On  the  night  of  September 
28th,  1827,  he  requested  permission  to  lodge  in  the  dungeon,  which 
was  granted  to  him.  From  some  cause  which  has  never  been 
explained,  the  hatch  which  covered  one  of  the  wells  communica- 
ting with  the  cavern,  was  unfastened.  During  the  night  he  laid 
hold  of  the  well  rope  and  ascended  upon  it  part  of  the  way  up, 
when  it  broke  and  precipitated  him  into  the  water  and  a  bucket 
fell  upon  his  head,  the  noise  was  heard  above,  and  he  was  found 
dead.  His  feet  were  tied  together  with  a  handkerchief  for  the  pur- 
pose, as  is  supposed  of  assisting  him  in  climbing  the  rope.  Only 
$50  were  found  in  his  possession ;  the  balance  was  probably  the 
price  paid  for  unfastening  the  hatch. 

It  would  seem  that  Newgate  prison  in  the  course  of  its  duration, 
had  contained  all  which  was  various  in  character,  determined  in 
crime  and  deep  in  degradation.  It  compassed  all  ages  from 
boyhood  to  extreme  old  age ;  both  sexes,  colors,  and  different  oc- 
cupations—  students  from  college,  and  others  unable  to  read  or 
write.  Those  skilled  in  Phrenology  might  have  had  a  rich  treat 
in  exploring  the  bumps  on  some  of  those  hard  heads,  and  the  solving 
of  their  characteristics  would  have  afforded  amusement  and  perhaps 
instruction. 

Seriously,  it  is  difficult  to  account  for  the  wayward  inclination 
of  some  of  them,  especially  those  who  were  imprisoned  a  number 
of  times  and  for  the  same  kind  of  offence  each  term,  unless  it  can 
be  accounted  for  on  phrenological  principles.  It  may  be  said  to 
indicate  only  a  depraved  heart,  but  a  depraved  heart  must  have  a 
strange  kind  of  head  to  run  repeatedly  into  the  same  crime  and  get 
back  to  the  same  prison.  But  I  leave  it  to  those  who  understand 
the  science  to  defend  the  ground,  presuming  that  the  truth  of  their 
cause  will  insure  them  a  triunphant  issue. 

When  the  number  and  difference  of  characters  kept  in  that  pris- 
on is  considered,  and  the  treatment  which  they  received  is  appre- 
ciated, it  will  at  once  be  seen  how  unaviling  the  system  must  have 
been  for  their  security  or  their  reformation.  The  custom  of  fas- 
tening their  feet  to  bars  of  iron  to  which  chains  were  attached  from 
their  necks,  chaining  them  to  the  block,  and  likewise  to  a  beam 
above,  while  at  their  work,  scourging  their  bodies  like  beasts,  &c. 
taught  them  to  look  upon  themselves  in  a  measure  as  they  were 
looked  upon  by  others,  objects  of  dread  and  possessing  characters 
more  like  fiends  than  men.  With  such  treatment,  reformation  must 
have  been,  and  was  entirely  out  of  the  question.  The  system  was 
very  well  suited  to  make  men  into  devils,  but  it  could  never  make 


25 

devils  into  men.  Instead  of  putting  them  in  cells  separate  at  night 
where  they  might  have  opportunity  for  reflection,  they  were  suf- 
fered to  congregate  together,  good  and  bad,  young  and  old,  to 
brew  mischief,  and  to  teach  new  vices  to  those  unpractised.  Their 
midnight  revels  as  may  be  supposed,  were  often  like  the  howling 
inn  pandemonium  of  tigers,  banishing  sleep  and  forbidding  rest. 

It  is  not  desired  that  these  remarks,  however,  should  be  constru- 
ed as  imputing  blame  to  the  officers  or  guard  of  the  prison  — far 
from  it.  Although  they  were  many  times  in  fault,  still  as  the  pris- 
on was  constructed,  and  in  the  way  that  service  was  required  of 
them,  it  was  impossible  to  preserve  that  degree  of  order  and  disci- 
pline so  essential  to  success.  They  had  no  approved  system  of 
prison  discipline  to  study,  no  correct  views  of  punishment  connec- 
ted with  reformation  were  at  that  day  generally  known,  and  but 
few  branches  of  business  were  thought  of,  which  would  yield  a 
fair  compensation  and  save  the  State  frorr.  cost. 

The  old  prison  buildings,  with  five  acres  of  land,  were  sold  to 
a  company  in  New  York,  for  $1200  dollars  —  a  sum  probably  far 
below  their  real  value.  A  few  years  since,  this  company  again 
commenced  working  the  mines.  They  expended  many  thousands 
of  dollars  in  beginning  extensive  levels,  building  furnace?,  and  in  a 
steam  engine  to  facilitate  their  operations.  They  also  raised  a 
considerable  quantity  of  ore,  some  of  which  they  smelted  at  their 
works,  and  some  was  sent  to  England.  But  owing  to  a  reverse  in 
business  affairs  and  to  the  want  of  skill  in  those  employed,  the  busi- 
ness was  for  the  time  again  abandoned.  The  ore  is  said  by  ex- 
perienced judges  to  be  of  excellent  quality,  yielding  from  10  to  15 
per  cent,  of  pure  copper,  and  samples  of  it  have  been  assryed 
which  yielded  40  per  cent.,  while  the  mines  of  England  are  work- 
ed profitably  which  yield  4  to  7  per  cent,  of  copper.  One  thing  is 
quite  certain  —  the  work  has  been  carried  on  by  a  variety  of 
labor,  by  slares,  by  free  labor,  by  private  individuals,  and  by 
chartered  companies —  and  which  of  the  kinds  has  succeeded  best 
is  left  to  the  operators  to  decide.  Too  much  time  and  money 
have  now  been  expended  in  those  mines  to  justify  their  abandon- 
ment, and  it  is  hoped  that  a  thorough  trial  will  yet  be  made  by 
those  who  are  not  deficient  in  capital  and  energy,  upon  their  pro- 
ductiveness, and  the  question  forever  settled  as  to  their  intrinsic 
value. 


26 


SONG, 

Composed  by  DR.  BUCK,  and  sung  on  the  occasion  of  completing  the 
walls  of  Newgate  Prison. 

Attend,  all  ye  villains,  that  live  in  the  State, 
,  Consider  the  walls  that  encircle  Newgate  ; 

Your  place  of  abode,  if  justice  were  done, — 
The  Assembly  in  Wisdom,  when  they  did  behold 
The  first  wooden  pickets,  grown  ruined  and  old, 
They  granted  a  sum  to  the  wise  Overseers, 
Which,  amply  sufficient  to  make  the  repairs, 
And  they  did  decide  to  repair  with  hewn  stone. 

In  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  two, 

A  party  collected,  to  split  and  to  hew, — 
Their  names  in  my  song,  shall  last  with  the  wall ; 
First  Lieutenant  Barber — the  job  undertakes, 
Beneath  his  strong  labor,  old  copper-hill  shakes, 
With  his  workmen  in  order,  the  stone  for  to  square, 
And  others  strong  burdens  with  cheerfulness  bear, 

While  each  one  delights  to  attend  to  his  call. 

The  next  in  the  column  is  sage  Pettibone, 
Whose  skill  in  the  work  is  exceeded  by  none. 

To  handle  the  gavel,  or  poise  the  great  maul, — 
With  him  senior  Jared  an  equal  part  bears, 
And  in  the  hard  labor  he  equally  shares  ; 
While  Gillett,  and  Holcomb,  and  Cosset  appear 
And  Hillyer,  all  anxious  the  fabric  to  rear, 

To  lay  the  foundation — to  strengthen  the  Wall. 

Bold  Harrington,  Goddard,  and  Lieutenant  Reed, 
Each  lend  their  assistance  the  work  to  proceed, 

Perhaps  there  are  others,  whose  names  I  don't  call, 
With  hammers,  and  chizzels,  and  crowbars,  and  gads, 
And  Wanyax,  with  other  poor  prisoner  lads, 
To  hand  up  the  mortar,  or  carry  the  hod ; 
Which  may,  to  some  strangers  appear  very  odd, 
To  think  the  poor  culprits  help  build  their  own  Wall. 

November  the  tenth,  for  the  good  of  the  State, 
They  finished  the  wall  and  completed  the  gate, 
Which  for  numerous  years  may  awing  and  not  fell. 

Then  each  one  returns  to  his  sweetheart  or  wife, 
With  plenty  of  cash  to  support  them  in  life ; 
With  joy  and  with  gladness  for  what  they  had  done, 
In  hewing  and  squaring,  and  laying  the  stone, 

Not  wholly  unmindful  of  building  the  Wall. 


27 

Now  here  'B  to  the  Landlord,  beforethat  we  go, 
We  wish  him  success,  and  his  lady  also  — 

For  their  kind  assistance  to  great  and  to  small, 
For  the  benefit  had  from  his  plentiful  bar; 
And  the  free  intercourse  which  produces  no  jar, 
To  him  and  his  neighbors,  and  every  good  man, 
Who  always  we  've  wanted  to  lend  us  a  hand 

To  drive  on  the  work,  and  finish  the  Wall. 

Now  last,  to  the  prisoners,  we  make  this  remark, 
Who  are  left  to  the  keeping  of  Commodore  Clark — 

It  may  be  of  service,  to  one  and  to  all, 
Repine  not  too  much,  though  your  lot  may  seem  hard, 
You've  a  judicious  keeper,  and  well-disposed  guard ; 
If  you  behav€  well  you  have  nothing  to  dread — 
You  've  beef,  pork,  and  sauce,  and  a  plenty  of  bread, 

So  behave  well,  and  get  the  outside  of  the  Wall. 


Some  of  the  prisoners  were  made  to  assist  in  building  the  wall, 
and  it  appears  that  they  were  permitted  to  participate  in  the  jolli- 
fication after  it  was  completed.  An  Irish  prisoner,  named  Patrick, 
offered  upon  the  occasion  the  following  toast : 

"  Hert  's  to  Lieut.  Barber's  great  wall — May  it  be  like  the  walls 
of  Jericho,  and  '  tumble  down  at  the  sound  of  the  rani's  horn.' ' 

The  toast  given  by  Dublin  was  equally  sarcastic,  viz : 

"  Here  's  health  to  the  Captain  and  all  the  rest  of  the  prisoners." 

The  present  State  Prison,  of  Connecticut,  situated  on  the  margin 
of  a  beautiful  cove  in  the  town  of  Wethersfield,  is  considered  by 
all  as  a  penitentiary  of  the  first  order.  Its  location,  its  construc- 
tion, its  management  and  discipline  have  won  the  admiration  of 
every  State  in  the  Union.  It  has  proved  to  the  world,  that  crimi- 
nal punishment  can  be  made  a  safeguard  to  society,  a  reward  to 
the  honesty  and  industry  of  a  people,  and  also  a  benefit  to  the 
moral  and  physical  condition  of  the  criminals.  The  prison  limits 
comprise  about  one  acre  of  ground,  which  is  enclosed  by  a  wall  of 
hard  sand  stone,  18  feet  high,  3  feet  thick  at  its  base,  and  inclining 
to  1  \  feet  at  the  top.  Within,  and  adjoining  tliia  wall,  are  build- 
ings of  the  eame  material,  for  work-shops  and  cells.  In  the  yard 
i«  a  cistern  under  ground,  containing  100 hogsheads  of  water,  and 
a  fire  engine  is  attached  to  the  premises.  A  steam  engine  of  20 
horse  power,  is  connected  with  the  shops  for  propelling  machinery 
necessary  to  carry  on  the  various  branches  of  business.  In  one 
apartment  is  a  place  where  the  convicts  are  allowed  to  bathe  at 
suitable  seasons  of  the  year.  A  portion  of  the  cell  building  is 
whitewashed  each  day,  which  purifies  the  air,  and  gives  to  the 
lodging  apartments  an  appearance  of  neatness  ;  each  one  enjoys 


28 

that  blessing  of  punishment,  a  separate  cell  at  night,  and  no  one  is 
allowed  through  the  day  to  look  at  any  visitor,  or  to  catch  the  (fye 
of  his  fellow,  but  all  are  intent  on  the  business  before  them.     The 
whole  cost  of  the  establishment,  including  17  acres  of  land,  and  in 
eluding  all  the  improvements  to  the  present  time,  is  $56,908  36 

The  numbei  ol  male  convicts,  April  1st,  1844,  was     170 
"  female,     "  "  22 

Total,  192 

The  males  are  employed  in  making  and  finishing  Chairs,  Table 

Cutlery,  Rules  and  Shoes. 

The  females  in  making  Chair-seats,  reeling  Silk,  Cooking  and 

Washing,  and  Mending  Clothes. 

Daily  routine  of  duty  performed  at  the  Connecticut  State  Prison  by 

its  officers. 

At  daylight  the  bell  is  rung  for  the  officers,  who  immediately  re- 
pair to  the  guard-room.  When  it  is  sufficiently  light,  the  Deputy 
Warden  gives  the  signal  for  manning  the  walls,  and  the  Overseers 
take  their  keys,  go  to  their  several  divisions,  and  again  wait  the 
signal,  when  they  unlock,  and  march  their  men,  with  the  lock  step,  to 
their  respective  shops.  The  convicts  immediately  commence  work, 
and  also  begin  at  a  given  point  in  the  shop  to  wash,  which  each 
man  docs  in  regular  order  before  the  breakfast  hour. 

O 

At  7  o'clock  the  bell  is  rung  for  breakfast,  the  convicts  stop 
work,  form  into  a  line  in  their  shops,  and  wait  the  signal  of  the  bell, 
tvhen  they  are  marched  into  the  prison  yard,  and  form  a  line  in 
front  of  their  buckets.  At  the  word  right,  each  man  turns  to  the 
right;  the  word  up  is  given,  and  each  man  takes  his  bucket  upon 
his  left  arm,  when  they  form  into  sections  in  close  order,  as  march- 
ed from  the  shops  ;  and  at  the  word  forward,  they  march  in  the 
same  manner  to  the  hall,  where  they  are  seated  to  hear  the  read- 
ing of  the  Bible  and  attend  prayers.  From  thence  they  are  march- 
ed around  the  cells,  take  their  kids  containing  their  breakfast  as 
they  pass  the  kitchen,  and  are  immediately  locked  up.  Each 
officer  then  reports  the  number  of  men  in  his  charge  to  the  deputy 
Warden,  who,  finding  it  right,  gives  the  signal  of  "all's  well  ;" 
the  Watchmen  leave  the  wall  and  repair  to  the  guard-room ;  all 
the  officers  then  go.  to  their  meal,  except  one  in  the  hall,  and  one 
in  the  guard-room,  who  are  relieved  in  turn. 

From  half  to  three  quarters  of  an  hour  is  allowed,  when  they 
are  again,  as  above,  marched  to  their  work,  and  there  remain  till 
12  o'clock  ;  the  signal  is  again  given,  they  are  again  marched  up- 


29 

on  a  line,  and  in  the  same  manner  marched  into  and  around  the 
hall,  the  same  as  at  breakfast,  with  the  exception  of  "  service." 
Time  allowed  for  dinner,  one  hour.  At  one  o'clock  they  are  again 
marched  to  their  shops,  and  work  till  six  P.  M.,  when  they  again 
form  a  line  in  front  of  their  buckets  ;  when  the  word  is  given,  "one 
pace  in  the  rear,  march,"  each  convict  steps  one  pace  back,  when 
the  officer  having  charge  of  each  division  commences  searching, 
by  passing  his  hands  over  the  arms,  body,  and  legs  of  the  prison- 
er, and  as  each  man  is  searched  he  steps  to  the  front.  When  all  are 
again  in  aline,  the  word  is  given  touncover,  and  each  convict  takes 
the  cover  from  his  night  bucket ;  the  officers  pass  and  examine 
them;  the  words,  cover — right  —  up — forward;  and  they  march 
to  the  hall,  attend  prayers,  and  to  their  cells,  as  in  the  morning. 
The  officer  then  in  the  hall  lights  up,  examines  each  lock  and 
door,  recounts  the  convicts,  and  reports  the  number  to  the  Warden 
or  Deputy  Warden.  At  half  past  7  the  signal  is  given,  and  each 
convict  retires  to  his  bed ;  the  officer  again  examines  the  doors, 
sees  that  all  are  abed,  and  is  then  relieved  by  the  Overseer,  taking 
the  first  tour,  which  continues  from  half  past  7  to  11  o'clock.  He 
is  then  relieved  by  a  Watchman,  who  takes  what  is  called  the  mid- 
dle tour,  from  11  o'clock  to  half  past  2;  the  Watchman  taking  the 
morning  tour,  or  from  half  past  2  till  light,  relieves  him.  The 
above  officers  are  required,  while  doing  duty  to  be  constantly  on 
their  feet,  marching  around  the  cells  and  upon  the  galleries  to  see 
that  all  is  quiet  and  in  good  order.  If  any  sickness  or  disorder 
takes  place,  he  calls  the  watchman  who  acquaintance  the  Warden 
or  Deputy  Warden  who  immediately  repair  to  the  hall,  and  take  the 
necessary  measures  for  relief  of  the  sick  or  the  suppression  of  dis- 
order. 

Duties  of  the  subordinate  officers. 

Deputy  Warden  takes  the  principal  charge  of  the  internal  af- 
fairs, under  the  direction  of  the  Warden  ;  spends  the  whole  day  in 
visiting  the  several  shops  and  departments;  sees  that  every  officer 
performs  his  duty  ;  attends  to  the  wants  and  complaints  of  the 
convicts  ;  and  has  a  constant  supervision  of  all  the  internal  opera- 
tions. 

The  Clerk  assists  the  Warden  in  keeping  the  books  and  other 
writing ;  attends  generally  to  the  transportation  of  convicts  from 
the  county  gaols  ;  and  when  not  thus  engaged,  performs  such  other 
duties  as  is  required  of  him  by  the  Warden  or  Deputy  Warden. 

The  Overseers. — After  performing  the  duty  of  marching  the 
convicts  as  above  described,  to  their  shops,  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
Overseers  to  remain  constantly  in  their  shops  and  with  their  men. 
They  are  not  allowed  to  sit  down,  but  must  not  only  remain  on 
their  feet,  but  also  exercise  the  utmost  vigilance  in  seeing  that 


30 

their  men  work  diligently,  in  order  and  silence.  In  case  of  sick- 
ness or  disobedience,' they  are  required  to  send  immediately  for  the 
Warden  or  his  Deputy ;  they  also  report  in  writing,  before  nine 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  all  who  express  a  wish  to  see  the  Physician. 

The  Matron  and  her  Assistant  have  the  charge  of  the  Female 
Department,  of  convicts.  Those  employed  in  the  cooking  are  un- 
locked by  the  Matron  at  4  o'clock  A.  M.,  all  seasons  of  the  year, 
and  are  employed  in  cooking  and  washing,  under  the  constant  and 
immediate  supervision  and  direction  of  the  Matron,  who  attends 
personally  to  the  weighing,  measuring,  and  dividing  of  the  daily 
rations.  The  Assistant  Matron  has  charge  of  the  work-room, 
where  the  females  are  employed  in  making  and  mending  clothes 
for  prison  use,  and  in  the  manufacturing  of  palm-leaf  hats,  &c. 
After  the  labors  of  the  day,  they  are  assembled  for  religious  ser- 
vice and  instruction  ;  immediately  after  which  they  return  to  their 
cells,  and  are  locked  in  by  the  Matron. 

The  Watchmen  are  employed,  all  the  time,  in  duty  upon  the 
walls,  in  the  guard-room  and  hall,  hospital,  and  in  waiting  upon 
spectators  who  visit  the  Prison ;  they  are  not  allowed  to  sit,  read 
or  write,  while  upon  any  post  of  duty. 

The  Gate-keeper  has  the  care  of  the  gate  leading  into  the  yard, 
and  takes  charge  of  the  out  door  hands  and  work. 

The  convicts  have  at  all  times  free  and  unrestrained  access  to 
the  Warden,  and  can,  whenever  they  wish,  see  and  converse  with 
the  Directors,  or  Director,  when  they  visit  the  Prison.  All  pun- 
ishments are  inflicted  by  the  Warden  or  his  Deputy.  No  subor- 
dinate officer  is  allowed  to  leave  the  Prison,  day  or  night,  withou* 
permission  of  the  Warden,  or  in  his  absence,  the  Deputy  Warden. 

Daily  Rations. 

One  pound  of  Salt  Beef  three  days  in  the  week. 

Three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  Pork  one  day  in  the  week. 

Three-quarters  of  a  pound  of  Fish  one  day  in  the  week. 

One  pound  of  fresh  meat  with  vegetables,  made  into  a  soup,  one 
day  in  the  week. 

One  pound  of  bread  made  of  rye  flour  and  corn  meal  for  break- 
fast and  dinner.  Five  bushels  potatoes  to  each  hundred  rations. 

Thirty-five  pounds  of  corn  meal  and  six  quarts  of  molasses  made 
into  mush  for  supper,  to  each  hundred  rations. 

One  gill  of  vinegar  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  salt  and  pepper 
per  week. 


31 


Tht,  following  ia  a  Statement  respecting  the  Convicts  from  official  Documents. 


Where  born. 

Where  convicted.          Crimes.          [Term  of  sentence. 

Connecticut,      116 

New  Haven  Co. 

37  Burglary,          64  Life,                   17 

New-  York,         18 

New  London 

24  Theft,               28  15  yrs.  $100  fine  7 

Massachusetts,   19 

Fairfield, 

38  Horse  stealing,  1310         500     «     1 

Rhode  Island,     11 

Hartford, 

28  Attempt  to  kill,  10  10         100     "    1 

Maine,                  2 

Litchfield, 

29  Arson,               11 

4          50     "     1 

New  Jersey,         2 

Tolland, 

10  Attempt  rape,     £ 

2         100     "     1 

Vermont,              2 

Windham,       " 

11  Rape,                  610        300     "    1 

Delaware,             1 

Middlesex,       " 

15  Breaking  jail,      1 

2           10     "    1 

Virginia,                1 

Manslaughter,  1C 

3        100     «    1 

Pennsylvania,       3 

Forgery,             S 

3          50     "    1 

Ireland,                 8 

Passing  counter- 

20                      3 

England,              3 

feit  money,     2 

16                       1 

Canada,                 1 

Adultery,          11 

15                       5 

Germany,              2 

Robbery,            2  14                        2 

France,                 2 

Murder,              512                        2 

Isle  of  Maderia,     1 

Bigamy,              1  10                        2 

Attempt  to  mur- 

9                       7 

der,                10 

8                       9 

Stealing,             37                        9 

Exposing  child,  1  1  6          •            12 

Mayhem,            15                       17 

Decoying  child,  1 

4                       22 

Insanity,              1 

3                     28 

2                       40 

2      6  months,    1 

16"         2 

13"         1 

1                         2 

_ 

_ 

During  insanity  I 

192 


192 


192 


1J2 


It  also  appears  that  76  of  the  whole  number  of  males,  have  been 
married,  and  those  76  have  186  children,  who  unfortunately  bear 
the  odium  of  their  fathers  guilt.  125  confess  that  they  almost 
daily  used  intoxicating  drinks,  and  38  could  not  read  at  all  when 
they  came  into  the  prison,  —  most  of  them  have  since  learned  to 
read.  The  condition  of  the  sick,  and  the  instruction  of  the  illite- 
rate, are  well  attended  to  by  the  efficient  physician  and  chaplain. 

An  intelligent  convict  of  Wethersfield  who  came  from  Newgate, 
was  requested  to  state  the  difference  in  the  management  at  the  two 
prisons,  if  there  was  any  difference  —  when  he  replied  as  follows  : 
"  In  Newgate  it  was  hale  fellows  well  met ;  but  here  the  last  thing  at 
night  is  prayer,  then  retirement,  where  we  see  no  one  and  hear  no 
one  during  the  evening;  then  we  goto  bed  but  cannot  go  to  sleep; 
but  think,  think.  If  we  get  to  sleep  and  awake  in  the  night  we  see 
no  one  and  hear  no  one,  but  think,  think.  When  the  morning  comes 
and  we  go  out,  the  first  thing  is  prayer.  We  see  our  fellows  but  say 
nothing ;  at  night  again  after  prayer  we  go  alone  and  THINK,  THINK. 
This  is  the  difference. 

The  following  is  considered  as  worthy  of  record  from  the  noto- 
riety of  the  characters  described. 


32 

The  first  female  convict  ever  sentenced  to  state  prison  in  Con- 
necticut, is  Thirza  Mansfield.  She  was  convicted  in  New  Haven, 
in  1825  of  the  crime  of  murder,  and  was  sentenced  to  be  hung, 
but  the  sentence  was  commuted  to  imprisonment  for  life  at  New- 
gate. She  is  now  suffering  her  tentence  ia  prison  at  Wethersfield. 

Augustino  Robdlo  an  insane  Spaniard,  is  now  enclosed  in  a  cell 
for  the  crime  of  murder.  The  victim  was  a  boy  whom  he  hewed 
to  pieces  in  a  most  barbarous  manner  while  in  a  fit  of  passion. 
He  was  committed  in  in  1836  for  the  term  of  his  insanity,  and  he 
now  lies  on  his  cot  a  frightful  spectacle  —  a  wreck  of  man,  bereft 
of  reason. 

Daniel  Bennett,  a  native  of  Maine,  is  now  in  prison  for  the  second 
offence  —  his  first  crime  was  Burglary,  and  his  second  was  Bur- 
glary witji  intent  to  kill.  He  stabbed  the  officer  Ripley,  who  took 
him,  and  in  June  of  the  present  year,  he  attempted  to  kill  an  officer 
of  the  prison.  This  man  is  one  of  the  most  desperate  fellows  con- 
fined in  the  prison.  He  is  now  forty-six  years  of  age,  about  six 
feet  high  and  well  proportioned.  Twenty  years  since  he  was  a 
convict  in  the  New  Hampshire  prison,  and  has  eince  been  confined 
in  Maine  and  Sing  Sing  prisons.  While  at  Sing  Sing,  he  attempt- 
ed to  excite  an  insurrection  in  that  prison.  With  a  stone  axe  in 
hand,  he  made  a  rush,  with  the  cry  of  "Come  on  boys — liberty 
or  death  !"  Captain  Lyndes  met  him  however,  and  soon  quieted 
him.  He  made  a  violent  attempt  to  escape  while  at  the  New 
Hampshire  prison,  but  was  met  by  the  Warden  on  the  top  of  the 
wall,  and  driven  back.  He  also  attempted  to  take  the  life  of  the 
Warden,  with  a  large  sledge  hammer  during  his  first  term  at  Weth- 
ersfield. A  permanent  home  will  doubtless  be  assigned  to  him  by 
the  next  court. 

Harvey  Griswold,  a  native  of  Suffield,  was  committed  in  Janua- 
ry, 1828,  for  twelve  years,  on  four  indictments,  for  passing  coun- 
terfeit money.  In  October,  1835,  he  stabbed  the  Warden  of  the 
prison,  and  was  for  that  offence,  sentenced  for  life,  —  he  was  how- 
ever discharged  from  prison  by  an  act  of  the  Assembly  in  August, 
1842.  He  appears  to  be  a  reformed  man,  and  has  visited  his  for- 
mer friends  and  acquaintance,  by  whom  he  has  been  received  with 
respect.  His  grandfather,  Capt.  Sylvanus  Griswold,  of  Windsor, 
was  formerly  one  of  the  most  wealthy  persons  in  the  county  of 
Hartford,  —  he  owned  by  inheritance  and  purchase,  fifteen  hund- 
red acres  of  valuable  land  in  Connecticut,  and  his  power  and  influ- 
ence were  very  extensive. 


33 

John  Sharp,  of  Milford,  was  committed  in  June,  1836,  —  his 
crime  was  murder,  and  his  sentence  for  life.  He  is  said  to  be  one 
of  the  most  notorious  villains  in  the  prison,  and  is  now  supposed 
to  have  murdered  four  or  Jive  persons  before  he  was  taken  and  con- 
victed !  His  heart  is  made  of  stern  stuff,  or  his  mind  must  be  har- 
rassed  with  horror,  by  the  remembrance  of  his  dreadful  crimes ! 

No  convict  has  ever  escaped  from  this  prison.     Its  safe  construc- 
tion and  active  vigilance  of  the  officers,  would  seem  to  banish  all 
hopes  of  escape  and  render  every  attempt  worse  than  useless.     A 
large  portion  of  the  time  since  the  institution  was  established,  it 
has  been  under  the  supervision  of  the  present  gentlemanly  and 
prompt  Warden,  Amos  Pilsbury,  who  seems  well  adapted  both  from 
experience  and  talent  to  discharge  its  duties.     Strict  order  and  dis- 
cipline is  apparent  in  every  department,  and  yet  it  would  seem 
to  be  without  any  vain  show  of  authority — no  bars  and  shackles 
are  worn  —  no  armed  sentinel  is  seen  except  on  the  towers — no 
muskets,  swords,  or  pistols  are  carried  within  the  walls,  and  it  is 
only  in  the  guard  room  that  any  weapons  of  death  are  to  be  seen. 
The  expense  of  Newgate  prison  to  the  State,  for  seventeen  years 
previous  to  the  removal  in  September,  1827,  including  buildings, 
&c.  erected,  was  more  than  $125,000,  being  over  $7000  per  an- 
num, while  the  profits  of  the  present  institution  for  the  same  period 
have  been  more  than  $92,000,  being  an  average  of  over  $5,400 
per  annum.     The  true  causes  of  this  difference  are  obvious  to 
those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  former  and  present  manage- 
ment.    The  Boston  Prison  Discipline  Society,  have  done  much  to 
correct  prison  defects,  and  reform  abuses.     They  waded  through 
the  filth  of  many  prisons  in  our  country,  noted  their  errors,  and 
aroused  the  public  to  their  base  deformity,  and  the  thanks  of  the 
nation  are  due  for  their  faithfulness,  ability,  and  zeal. 

The  spirit  of  improvement  in  prison  discipline  must  now  go  for- 
ward, for  the  world  have  followed  for  ages  the  old  system,  and 
have  proved  it  to  be  entirely  useless,^ —  convicts  and  keepers,  and 
community  at  large,  have  long  sought  for,  and  demanded  reforma- 
tion. In  some  States,  they  have  commendably  improved ;  and  now 
Connecticut  advances  forth,  and  with  honorable  pride,  exhibits  a 
model  prison  to  the  world! 


. 


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